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♪♪

Hey, wait a minute.

Hold it, hold it.

You don't need that gun, boy.

Maybe I don't.

Maybe I do.

It all depends on what you want.

I saw your fire.

I was just, uh,

just wondered what you were doing here.

Is this your land?

Yeah, yeah.

Name's Cartwright.

This is Ponderosa land.

Why don't you put down that gun, boy?

What are you doing here?

I'm fixing some beans.

Well, tell you what, I got a,

I got a better idea.

Why don't we put out this fire, and, uh,

and you come along with me back to the ranch house,

and I'll get you something substantial to eat.

Looks like you could use it.

Look, I'm just drifting through.

I'm not asking for charity.

Well, I-I didn't realize I was offering any.

No, I guess you weren't.

L-Look, I'll just eat up what I got here

and then I'll move on.

If you're worried about the fire, don't be.

I'll put it out. I wasn't worried about the fire.

You all right, boy?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Well, maybe you'd better come along with me, huh?

Well, I don't need your help.

I don't need anybody's help.

Just make sure you put out the fire before you leave.

Yeah, I said I would, didn't I?

Well, what about him?

There's nothing wrong with that lad

a dozen or more square meals won't cure.

You mean that's all that's wrong with him?

He just ain't been eating regular?

Not regular for the past couple of weeks or so, I'd say.

Good thing you found him, Ben.

In his condition, he might have come down with anything.

But he'll be fine as long as he gets some rest

and plenty of Hop Sing's good cooking.

Nothing more I can do.

How about some coffee?

No, thanks.

I got to get back to town.

Take it easy, Doc.

You bet.

Thanks for coming out, Doc.

Not at all.

Night.

Well, I'd better get some food for that young fella.

Pa?

Well, like the doc says, it is sort of strange

that a young boy like that'd be riding around, missing meals.

Well, I guess it is strange,

but it happens.

Yeah, you don't, uh,

you don't reckon he's maybe running from the law, do you?

And why do you say that?

Well, you said he pulled a gun on you.

Yeah, he did pull a gun, but the gun was empty.

He didn't have any ammunition, no.

No, I think he's just a scared kid down on his luck.

That hot soup of Hop Sing's will do him a lot of good.

What's going on? I just saw Doc Martin leave.

Yeah, Pa ran into this young feller

out in the north pasture today,

and standing there talking with him, the kid just collapsed.

He brought him in.

He's up there now.

How's he doing? He's all right.

Doc says a little sleep,

a few square meals, he'll be all right.

Hey, you're working sort of late,

ain't you, little brother? Well, I got

a hundred and one things to take care of

if I'm gonna leave for Placerville in the morning.

Hi, Joe. Hey, Pa.

Everything all right? Yeah.

Hoss was just telling me about that boy you found.

Oh, yeah. Well, he'll be fine.

He's just, uh, tired and hungry, you know?

Uh, you got everything taken care of?

Yeah, got it right here.

Got the power of attorney from Sam Bates

and the letter from Jim Powers.

Yeah, good. Oh, listen, Joe,

be careful of Slim Hackett.

Don't let him skin you on those horses.

He's been trying to skin me for 20 years.

Don't you worry, Pa. I won't let Slim take advantage of me.

You taught me right.

If I'm gonna leave bright and early in the morning,

I'd better get some sleep.

Yeah, as a matter of fact, little brother,

you ought to get all the sleep you can,

because, uh, you want to look your best

for all them pretty gals you're gonna meet in PIacerville.

Now, Hoss, how can you say a thing like that?

You know the only thing on my mind is work.

Sure. Yeah, well, you just make sure

that most of your mind is on work.

Oh, it-it Will be, Pa, it Will be.

Most of it.

Good night.

Morning.

Feel any better?

I feel all right.

Good, good.

Mind if I sit down?

Enjoy your breakfast?

You know, uh,

I told you my name,

but I guess I missed hearing yours.

Billy.

Billy?

Well, nice to know you, Billy.

Billy what?

Billy...

Billy Wilcox.

Where you from, Billy?

Arizona.

Hey, what did you do with my clothes?

Oh, I'm afraid your clothes

sort of fell apart just as soon as they hit the water.

You know, clothes got to be washed now and then.

Look, I ain't had much time for that kind of thing lately.

Yeah, well, never mind.

We, we rounded you up another outfit.

I told you I don't want no charity.

I'll pay you.

You got any money, son?

No, not right now.

You know, a young fellow like yourself

doesn't usually get into this, uh,

this kind of condition.

You running away from something?

I ain't running.

I'm just passing through here.

Ah, itchy feet, huh?

That's right.

Your feet so itchy, Billy,

that, uh, you haven't got time

to stop and sleep?

Bathe or wash your clothes?

Well...

You, uh,

you want to talk,

any time, be glad to hear your story.

Mr. Cartwright?

I ain't ungrateful for what you done.

About those clothes, I'll pay you.

I'll work it out or, or I'll move on

and, uh, send you the money when I get some work.

If you really want a job, you got one.

But first you got to rest

for a couple of two or three days

and get yourself some good food in you.

Well, tha-thank you, thank you.

Hoss, we, uh,

just hired ourselves a new hand.

Well, good, we're gonna need one.

Hi.

My name's Hoss.

Hoss Cartwright.

My name's Billy.

Happy to meet you, Billy.

My little brother being gone, I'm gonna need a hand.

Well, don't you worry.

I can do my share.

Yeah, I'll bet you can, too.

Look here, I brung you some clothes.

If you need anything else, just give a yell, you hear.

Hey, Billy, you're weaker than I thought you was.

I figured you'd have this wagon loaded by the time I got back.

You know, Hoss, I was just thinking

that I'm feeling strong enough

that I could have gone and got the mail for you.

Well, I figured no more breakfast than you ate,

you wouldn't have enough energy

to get all the way to the post office.

Let's go home. Come on.

Without getting something to eat first?

Yeah, Billy, if you'd like. Sure.

Well, Hoss, I think I can hold out till we get back.

Come on.

Giddap.

Very good, Bill.

Listen, there's a bunch of stragglers--

Bunch of strays up at the, uh, north pasture.

Bring them down.

Hey.

Whoa.

Well, that was a pretty quick trip.

Yeah, we had to run the horses pretty near all the way.

Really? Hoss was getting hungry.

Dad-burnit, that ain't so.

You're getting to sound more like my little brother

all the time.

Here's the mail, Pa. Good.

Here, hold this.

That, uh, Billy's a pretty good worker.

Yeah, I reckon. He's a strange boy, though.

The moment you think you're getting a little close to him,

he sort of backs off.

Do you figure on keeping him around?

Yeah, I thought I would. Why?

Well, the bunkhouse is full,

and I thought maybe we'd move him out there

as soon as we get a place for him.

Yeah, well, I...

Might be an idea to let him stay where he is.

Keep him around the family.

I don't think he's had too much of a family life.

I think you're right.

He really opened up to me today. Oh, yeah?

I think he needed a little friendship

as much as he needed food.

That was just what was going through my mind.

Well, I'll...

Tom Yardley.

Really? Yes, well...

Hey, he and Jennifer are coming to Virginia City.

Well, hot dog. Yeah, th-the tenth.

Hey, that's tomorrow, isn't it? That's right.

From Tucson.

When does the stage get in from Tucson?

Noon, I think. Yeah.

By golly.

Hey, dad... hey,

I just thought of something.

Little Joe is sure gonna be disappointed

he's gonna Miss Jennifer.

Well, I don't know if he's gonna be disappointed.

This is what Tom says.

"We're planning to buy some land around Virginia City

and settle down around your parts."

Hey, wouldn't that be something?

Oh... After all these years,

you two end up being neighbors.

That'd be wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

You know what? We're going into town tomorrow,

we're gonna surprise them, we're gonna have a little celebration.

Fine, fine.

Yeah? Yeah.

Hey, listen, what about, uh...

what about taking Billy in?

He might enjoy that.

Yeah, sure. Why not?

Get the other things, yeah? Yes, sir.

Hey, Billy.

We're in for a real treat.

One of Pa's dearest old friends is coming down tomorrow,

and you and me and Pa are gonna go and meet him.

He's got the best-looking daughter you ever seen.

I sure hope that stage is on time.

Be nice to see old Tom Yardley.

Yeah, sure is gonna be nice to see him.

And I'll tell you, I ain't gonna be altogether unhappy

about seeing that daughter Jennifer of his.

Yes.

Hey. Hey, Ben.

Tom, you son of a gun! How are you?!

It's good to see you. It's good to see you, too.

You're a sight for sore eyes.

Hiya, Hoss. Hi, Mr. Yardley.

How are you? Hey, where's Little Joe?

Oh, he had to go to Placerville, he'll be back.

Where's that little girl of yours?

Here I am, Uncle Ben.

Well...

Oh, my goodness.

It's good to see you.

You've got yourself a young lady here.

Jennifer, if Joseph was here,

I'd insist on a wedding ceremony being performed

at this very moment.

Oh, Uncle Ben, quit it.

You and Dad have been trying to arrange a marriage

since before I was born. That's right.

And if the truth were known, we hate each other.

No, you don't.

Hoss.

H-Hi, Jennifer.

You know, it could be you picked the wrong son for me.

That's right, dad-burn...

Hey, Billy, come here a minute.

Billy Wilcox, this is Mr. Yardley.

Hello, Billy.

And this is his daughter, Jennifer.

Hello, Billy.

Oh, uh, Ben, uh...

I'd like you to meet Sam Denton.

He's been our traveling companion

all the way from Tucson.

This is the Ben Cartwright I've been telling you about.

Mr. Denton.

Mr. Cartwright. How are you, sir?

Sam, here, is one of those famous Texas Rangers.

Oh, well, pleasure, sir.

I hope, uh, that what brings you

to the jewel of the Comstock is pleasure, not business.

I'm afraid not, Mr. Cartwright.

I'm here to see your sheriff,

Roy Coffee. Oh.

Roy's an old friend; his office is just down the street there.

Thank you.

Jennifer.

Bye, Mr. Denton.

Tom. Sam.

Why don't we get settled into the hotel?

Y-You'll have weeks to talk to Uncle Ben.

All right, honey Now, hold it, wait a minute.

Wait a minute, nobody's gonna go to any hotel.

You're staying at the Ponderosa with us.

Hoss, will you load up the bags, please?

Now, Ben, look...

Look, it's all settled.

All right, Tom?

Not another word of argument.

Billy.

Billy?

Give Hoss a hand, will you?

In you get.

All right, Billy, hop in.

Pa, I'll stick around here and take care of everything,

you guys go ahead.

Uh, listen, talk to Ed Bates.

Find out what delivery date he wants on that timber he ordered.

I sure will.

Have you always lived here, Billy?

No, ma'am, I'm not from around here.

And I ain't thinking on staying too long.

Now, hold on just one second.

What about the time that you were trying

to impress your girlfriend,

and you backed right into the horse trough?

I swear to this day, you pushed me.

I wasn't within 20 feet of you!

You two.

What didn't you get into?

And you have the nerve to complain

about your own children.

Well, I'll tell you, Ben, you always did have it easy.

Raising three boys, nothing to it.

But raising a girl alone... Now, hold on there.

What makes you think that raising three boys is so easy?

Ah, now, come on, Pa.

We never did give you no trouble.

Let them complain, Hoss.

That's what fathers are for.

That's right.

Isn't that right, Billy?

Uh, well, I don't... I don't rightly know, ma'am.

Well, you can take my word for it, it's right about these two.

You see that, Ben?

No respect for her elders.

I swear if I don't get her married off...

You eat.

You know what doctor say.

You need fat on your bone.

Oh, h-have you been ill?

No, ma'am.

It wasn't nothing.

Billy Wilcox, if you don't stop calling me "ma'am,"

between that and my father trying to get me married off,

I'm beginning to feel like a-an old maid.

You ain't never gonna be an old maid, Miss Jennifer.

What a nice thing to say.

Jennifer, you be careful of that Billy.

I think he just might be a ladies' man.

Now, Billy, don't let him embarrass you.

Tom, you, uh, really thinking of buying

a piece of property around here?

Got an appointment in town first thing in the morning.

Good, good, that'll give us some time to play

a little bit of chess, won't it? Hop Sing?

How about bringing out the chessboard?

Already set up, Mr. Cartwright.

Well, now.

Do I, uh, sense a challenge?

Well, unless you're afraid to meet it.

Afraid?

Why, I beat you three straight the last time we were together.

Tom, it seems to me it was just about the other way around.

Well, that's the end of this evening, Hoss.

They'll be at it until 4:00 in the morning.

The last time they played,

they played all day and all night and all the next day.

And they're still arguing who won that one.

Yeah.

Do you play chess, Billy?

No, ma'am.

Why don't you just call me Jennifer?

All right... Jennifer.

That's better.

If you two will excuse me, I think I'll go to my room.

Yes, ma'am.

Good night, Jennifer.

Good night, Hoss.

Good night, Billy.

Good night.

Night, Dad.

Good night.

Night, Uncle Ben.

Good night.

What'd I tell you, Billy?

Ain't she something?

She's the nicest girl I ever met.

Well, you and me had better get some shut-eye.

We got a rough day tomorrow.

Yeah, well, Hoss, you go on.

I'm gonna take a little walk.

Good night.

Good night, Mr. Yardley, Pa.

Put it there with the rest of the stuff, Bill.

So, you stayed up half the night looking at the stars, huh?

Yeah, I just wasn't sleepy, Hoss.

Well, I must say you've done

a pretty fair day's work already today.

I'll tell you what, Billy.

You go on back to the house and get the chores started,

and I'll finish up here.

Okay, whatever you say.

Yoo-hoo, Hoss, Billy!

Hi, Jennifer.

Hi, Hoss, hi, Billy.

I'm ready to go for that ride you promised.

Doggone it, Jennifer.

I-I got all tied up here,

and it's gonna take me longer than I figured on.

Oh, but, Hoss, you promised.

I wanted to ride over by the pond.

I haven't been there in so long.

Well, I-I know you was counting on it...

Say, Hoss, I'm going back that way anyhow.

Why don't I ride along with her?

Good idea.

Would you, Billy?

Well, sure, if it's okay with Hoss.

Oh, sure, go right ahead.

Oh, thanks, Hoss.

I'll see you back at the house after a while.

Have a good time!

I love this country, Billy.

I sure appreciate your riding with me.

My pleasure.

Have you ever been to the pond?

No, I haven't.

Come on, I'll race you.

You're on.

Giddap.

You win, you win.

Oh, this is the spot I wanted to see.

Oh, Billy, isn't it beautiful?

Don't you just love it?

Sure do, Jennifer.

Oh, I'd like to have a place like this myself

and just settle down, never move away from it.

Hmm, I know the feeling.

Father and I have traveled so much.

So have I.

You know,

Father thinks of me as a little girl.

But people our age,

like you and me,

we have our dreams.

Don't you think so, Billy?

Yeah.

Sure, we've got our dreams, Jennifer.

Just seems like sometimes

they ain't ever gonna come true.

What's your dream, Billy?

Oh, a home, I think.

Doesn't have to be much, of course,

just a little piece of land with a-a house on a knoll.

That ain't much of a dream, is it?

Oh, it's a good dream, Billy.

And it will come true.

Oh, what's the matter?

Did I say something wrong?

No.

No, you could never say nothing wrong.

Not to me.

It's that some dreams never come true.

Well, Hoss.

Howdy, Mr. Denton, how are you?

Fine.

Here, I'll take your horse.

Your father home?

Yes, sir, he's in the house.

Thank you. Yes, sir.

Hey, Billy, Jennifer.

How was the pond?

Just great, Hoss.

Hello, Mr. Denton!

Hey, uh, Billy, you and me got work to do.

Yeah.

Jennifer, how'd you like

to see our new colts?

Sure would.

We got a barn full of 'em.

Who is it?!

Yes?

Mr. Cartwright.

Oh, Mr. Denton, come in.

Thank you. Didn't expect to see you.

Well, what are you doing in these parts?

Well, just checking out this part of the country.

Uh-huh.

Sheriff Coffee told me, if I got out this way,

I should drop in and say hello.

Well, I'm glad you did.

I surely am.

Uh, just having some coffee, will you join me?

Thank you.

Well, how do you like it, black?

Black's fine. Good.

Nice place you've got here.

Thank you.

Mr. Denton, you, uh, getting a line

on that, uh, man you've been trailing?

Well, that's hard to say.

I followed him all the way from San Antone.

Uh-huh.

Through the Arizona Territory.

That's when I decided to take the stage

and come on down here.

He might head this way.

Of course, with all that silver

being mined around these parts,

drifters move in and out of Virginia City very fast.

But the one I'm looking for is a young fella

about the same age and size

as that young Billy Wilcox out there

talking to your boy Hoss.

That so?

Well, Sheriff Coffee tells me

you got a real fine family, Mr. Cartwright.

He says you...

All my life I wanted to have a son,

more than anything else.

I never was able to have one.

He tells me you've got three fine boys.

You're a pretty lucky man.

Yes, I've always considered myself very fortunate.

I like to see that sort of thing,

family, close-knit,

everybody caring for each other.

That's unlike the background of the young fellow

that I've been trailing, this Aaron Mendoza.

Oh, yes.

Uh, what did this young fellow do?

He killed a man down in Texas.

Oh, did he?

Different background than...

what your boys had, Mr. Cartwright.

This young fella, he, uh,

he lost his family in an Indian raid on a wagon train.

There was only two survivors, an old man and the kid.

That old man walked into town carrying that kid,

both of them more dead than alive.

The next day, the old man died, and that left the kid alone.

And, uh, how'd the little fellow get on?

Well, there was this gal,

worked in a local saloon.

She kind of took a liking to the kid.

She took him under her wing,

mothered him, you might say, and...

she had this little old shack out on the edge of town.

Wasn't much, but she gave that boy

a roof over his head.

But he had it tough,

doing odd jobs, stable chores,

washing the floor.

But she did one decent thing for him.

She gave him his name,

Mendoza.

That was her name.

And he just thought the sun rose and set on her.

How'd it happen he killed this man?

One night,

oh, better than a year ago it was,

that kid...

came to the saloon to walk home

with Angel Mendoza when she, um, finished work.

She never liked him to come into the saloon.

Hi.

Aaron, go on home, will you?

You know I don't like you in here.

No, I think I'd rather hang around and wait for you.

Hey, Angel, where are those drinks?

I want you to go home.

Angel, the drinks.

Gosh, I'm not gonna wait around here all daylong for them.

It's about time. All right.

Here. Now drink up and get out of here.

What's the matter, Angel,

you worried about your son?

That is what they call him, ain't it?

Aaron, he's drunk.

Now do as I asked and go home.

Yeah, stray, go on home; your mother's busy.

Barclay, I think you'd better shut up.

Oh, you're a big man.

You want to feel important.

Come on over here and wipe that up.

Jack, you're drunk.

Now take your friends and get out of here.

Come on, now. You know what she wants.

She wants you to take your friends and get out of here.

You talk like that,

and you'd better start drawing on me, stray.

Aaron.

Aaron...

Drop it, kid.

Leave it to the law.

Marshal, he shot her.

It was an accident, Marshal.

If you shoot him, you'll hang.

Of course there was a trial.

There was a trial.

The jury acquitted him.

Saloon gals come and go, Mr. Cartwright.

Nobody cares very much what happens to them,

and it wasn't long before everybody forgot it.

Everybody except the kid.

And he didn't forget.

I didn't see this.

The report was made up much later,

based on accounts that came from quite a few sources.

That kid stayed out of sight for a while after that.

People figured that he'd lit out.

Hmm.

The word around town was

that the Barclays had threatened him,

told him to get out of town.

But he didn't get out of town?

That's right, he didn't leave.

And he and Jack Barclay tangled.

The shooting took place right there in the saloon

where Angel Mendoza had been working.

And according to Barclay's brother,

the kid came in and just opened fire.

Was there anybody else there?

Yeah, three or four.

They were Barclay's men.

They all told the same story, huh?

Naturally.

Mr. Denton,

it might have happened

in a different way, though.

I mean, couldn't it?

Couldn't it have been a...

a fair fight?

Maybe.

But we can only go on the findings, Mr. Cartwright.

Mr. Denton,

everything doesn't have to be black and white.

It is in my business.

There are no grays,

no shadows.

I'm not a judge.

My job is just to find him and bring him in.

Maybe that's one of the reasons

why I'm sick and tired of the job.

Thanks.

That was mighty fine coffee.

♪♪

Penny for your thoughts.

Did you hear me?

Yeah, I heard.

I just don't think my thoughts are worth a penny.

You sound like you have

the whole world on your shoulders.

Well, I didn't mean to.

I-I had a good time this afternoon.

So did I.

Jennifer, you know, you're so easy to talk to.

I just wish everybody else was.

They are, if you'll just give them a chance.

Well, they are to you, yeah.

Billy, you know,

out there by the pond today,

you were telling me about your dreams.

Hold on to those dreams.

Well, like I said before, some of them don't come true.

If you're going to be in this kind of a mood

at the party tomorrow night...

Party?

Yes, the party that Uncle Ben's giving

for Daddy and me tomorrow night.

You're coming, aren't you?

Oh, I don't know.

Well, I do.

You're coming and you're going to be my escort.

Well, you know, there's nothing on this earth

that would make me any prouder than that, Jennifer, but...

Billy, you're coming to the party, and that settles it.

Ag reed?

Yeah, agreed.

Good night, Billy.

Mr. Cartwright, I got to talk to you.

Good, Billy, I was hoping you would.

You know, I told you, any time you're ready to talk,

I was ready to listen.

Huh?

Well, no,

all I wanted to tell you was that, uh,

after the party, I'm leaving.

Oh.

Any, uh,

any particular reason?

Yeah, I think you made a mistake about me.

Did I? How's that?

Well, Mr. Cartwright,

when you, uh, took me in,

I think you felt sorry for me.

You thought I was sick of drifting around,

missing meals and all that.

You see, that's where you were wrong,

'cause I like that kind of life.

I really miss it, and I want to get back to it.

I see.

You, uh,

you really like the...

the life of a drifter, huh?

I mean, you,

you-you-you like to flit around

from one place to another,

from hither to thither to yon,

not doing anything with your life,

just sort of letting your life drift away.

You really enjoy that?

That's right.

Hmm.

Billy...

what are you running from?

I ain't running.

I just told you, I'm drifting through.

I like to see what's on-on the other side of the hill.

Hmm, yeah, I see.

And how do you, how do you propose

to, uh, to live while you're drifting

from one side of the hill to the other?

Oh, somebody always picks you up,

takes care of you, like you did me.

That's all it's meant to you?

Yeah, that's all.

Look, uh, Mr. Cartwright,

it's not that, that I'm ungrateful

for what you've done, because I am grateful.

I'm sorry, but it's got to be this way.

You're sorry?

Well, Billy, you just, uh,

keep on running.

I can't make your decisions for you.

Good night.

Mr. Cartwright?

No, it wasn't nothing.

Never mind, never mind.

Yeah.

Oh, them are lovely.

Thank you, Hop Sing.

Sue, come over here a minute.

I want you to meet some people.

Oh, thank you. Tom, will you have some?

No, thank you.

You, uh, had yourself a successful day, huh?

Well, I, um... I think you might say that.

You know a property called the, uh, Rivers Ranch?

Oh, do I know that property?

I've had my eye on it for three years.

Now, don't tell me that's for sale.

Not now.

I bought it.

You bought the Rivers Ranch?

Why, you old slick-dealing son of a gun.

That's wonderful.

Oh, that's a beautiful piece of property.

Did you tell Jennifer yet?

Uh, no, I'm, uh, sort of saving it for a surprise.

Oh, she'll be surprised, all right.

Well, there's Sam Denton.

Come in, Mr. Denton.

Take your hat?

Thank you. Fine, fine.

I, uh, saw Sam in town this afternoon

and asked him to come out if he had a chance.

I hope you don't mind.

Well, no, of course not.

Of course I don't mind.

Billy.

Why aren't you at the party?

I missed you.

Oh, you know, all those people inside.

They're strangers.

Some of our best friends were strangers once.

Jennifer, do you know,

I have never met anybody just like you.

Nothing seems to get you down.

You just take it for granted

that everything in your life is gonna work out all right.

Don't you, Billy?

I don't know.

I just don't know.

Well, it can be right

if you really want it

a-and you work to make it so.

Well, now, you make it sound easy, all right,

the way you talk about it.

You sound just like Mr. Cartwright.

What do you mean?

Nothing.

Boy, I sure like the stars the way they look tonight.

They're clean.

Pure.

You're like that, Jennifer.

Like the stars.

What's worrying you, Billy?

You know, you're... you're like two people.

Oh, you're sweet and kind and... and tender.

And then it's as if you go into a dark room

and close the door.

Maybe that's what it is.

I'm trying to be two people.

There are no stars in a dark room, Billy.

I love you, Billy Wilcox.

Well, enjoyed the party, Ben.

Thank you so much.

Billy!

Sam, good night. Thank you, Ben.

Nice to have you... Thank you.

Thank you, Ben, wonderful party. Good night.

Night. All right.

Night night.

Good night. Thank you for such a good night.

Good night. Good-bye.

Good night.

This was a great idea. Oh, was it.

Well, I think it was a good shindig.

Oh, it was, it was. A great one. Great one.

I'll tell you, it's getting a little late for me.

I think I'm gonna go to bed and I'll see you.

Good night. Uh, Hop Sing.

What are we having for breakfast?

Hop Sing decide when breakfast time come.

Not before.

Yeah, well, very good.

Good night, Hop Sing.

Good night, gentlemen.

Good night, Mr. Hoss.

See you early tomorrow morning.

Tom, how about relaxing over a cup of coffee?

Do you know, I'm still too excited to relax?

I think I'll go outside and find Jennifer

and tell her about the ranch.

She's going to be a very happy little girl when you tell her.

Jennifer.

Jen?

Jen, what's the matter, baby?

Nothing's the matter.

And I'm not a baby!

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

Tom, what was that all about?

I'd be the last to know.

I told you, be thankful you've got boys.

♪♪

Billy?

Don't call me Billy.

What's the matter, son?

I just found out you can't be two people.

Nobody can.

You know what she said to me?

She said, "I love you, Billy Wilcox."

And I made a lie out of it,

'cause I'm not Billy Wilcox!

My name is Aaron Mendoza.

Do you know what you're saying?

I know!

I know and I want you to hear the rest of it.

I killed a man... in Texas.

That's right, I killed a man!

And I was running...

I was running when you found me, 'cause I was scared.

Tell me about it, Aaron.

His name was Barclay.

He killed a woman.

A woman who was like a mother to me.

He killed her, but the jury turned him loose.

And then he told me to get out of town.

Well, I didn't want to leave that town,

'cause that was a home to me, Mr. Cartwright.

It's the only one I ever knew.

I---

I went to the saloon

and I tried to explain that to him.

But he wouldn't listen.

He started cussing me out.

Next thing I knew, he was shooting.

I was scared, I shot back.

Then he was lying there dead.

And I ran.

Sure wish you hadn't run.

That was... self-defense.

I ran because nobody was going to believe me in that town.

Nobody's going to believe me in Jack Barclay's town.

Aaron, I believe you.

What am I gonna do?

What do you think you ought to do?

I know what I ought to do.

I ought to go back there and face up to it.

I would, if anybody'd believe me.

I got to go back, don't I?

It may not be so bad, Aaron.

Mr. Denton.

There's been a lot of changes made in your hometown.

The Barclays aren't there anymore

and there's a judge who isn't bought and paid for.

All right.

I'll go back.

Well, there's no hurry.

The stage doesn't leave until noon tomorrow.

And I reckon you've got a few things

you'd like to attend to around here.

Why don't you just ride in and meet me in the morning?

Don't worry about him, Mr. Cartwright,

I'll stand by him.

Thank you.

You meet me at the sheriff's office, son.

Good night.

And he trusts me?

Yeah, he doesn't think I'm gonna run?

No.

No, neither do I.

I don't think you're ever gonna run again.

But if you do, you'll run in the right direction.

You know, Aaron, a lot of people in this world

you don't have to run away from.

You run to them.

Do you really have to go?

There's some unfinished business

that I've got to take care of.

But you'll be back, won't you?

Sure, Jennifer, I'll be back.

I still got my dream--

That little house on a knoll--

And I want you to help me find it.

Oh, I Will.

I promise you I will.

♪♪

They do grow up, Ben, don't they?

Hmm.

Right in front of your eyes.

Yeah, they sure do.

Hoss, we got some work to do.

We got to help our new neighbors build a ranch.

This has been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.