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♪♪

All right, Pa, I've just spent another day

looking for that silver lining you've been talking about,

and it sure ain't there.

Last ten heads we had busted through the fence,

and they headed for the Ponderosa.

Well, I can't say as I blame 'em.

Feel thirsty enough to do the same thing.

Well, how long are you gonna hang onto

this windblown rock pile you call a ranch? I'm sick of it.

There's 3,600 acres of land here, son.

It's a big stake, and it's worth fighting for.

I've been trying to hold onto it for you.

Your pa's right.

Land's everything, Harry.

You got land, you got everything.

Oh, yeah, that's sure everything, ain't it?

Ten years you been farming on this ranch--

What have you got to show for it?

You got six months' wages

you ain't never gonna get, that's what.

Hold on a minute, Harry! Maybe he's right, Ed.

We still got to eat.

We got to water the horses.

You get some barrels, hitch up a team.

We're headed over to the Ponderosa.

The Ponderosa!

It's always the Ponderosa, ain't it?

The great Cartwrights!

Crawl to 'em on your belly.

Beg 'em for a cup of water.

Now, Harry, you know that ain't so.

Ben Cartwright's always been a mighty good friend to us.

Well, there's water in town, and I'd a whole lot sooner

get it there than go crawling to the Cartwrights.

Don't pay him no mind, Matt.

He's young.

Always was quick-tempered, fiery.

More like his mother was than, than he is like you.

Besides, he just don't feel toward land

the way you and I do.

Yeah.

Sure.

Thank you for standing by me, Ed.

It's gonna work out all right, Matt.

No.

No, it won't.

This land's going to be sold for taxes.

I ain't got the money to pay 'em.

Well...

before we get the water, Harry, I got a few things to attend to.

Uh, why don't you go over and get yourself a couple of beers,

cool down a bit.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

Ed, I know I shouldn't have yelled at Pa that way.

Well, I figure he understands all right.

Go on, relax.

Yeah.

See you later.

I know everybody's taxes went up,

but nobody's told me why.

The cost of government went up, Mrs. Whiteman.

We had to build a new school,

and the salary for the schoolteacher went up, too.

Well, my salary didn't go up, young lady.

I just don't know what the country's coming to

with these high prices and high taxes.

Well, you can file a written protest

to the assessor if you like, Mrs. Whiteman.

A lot of good that'll do.

Well, I may decide just not to pay those taxes!

Ha!

Millie. Hello.

It's been two days, and it seems like two years.

Ed, don't. Somebody's liable to come in any minute.

Well, put up your "out to lunch" sign.

It's that time, ain't it?

Yes, it's about that time.

Millie, you don't know

how I hate being away from you like this.

Ed, I've tried to be kind about this,

but you don't want to listen to what I'm saying.

Oh, now, don't start all that talk about you and me

being all over with, 'cause I ain't gonna listen to it.

Well, you'd better listen to it, because it's so.

Ed, it's not that I've got anything against you,

it's just that... Just that what?

Ed, look at me.

I'm not getting any younger.

Do you think I like it here working for wages?

I want things nice, Ed, can't you understand that?

I want things nice. Things are gonna be nice,

Millie, if you just listen to me.

Listen to you? I've been listening to you too long, Ed.

I've been listening to your promises,

and the next time I listen to a man,

it's gonna be a man who can pay his way, not...

some so-called foreman who isn't even being paid his wages.

I ain't gonna be a foreman who ain't paid his wages.

That's all over with.

I got a plan, Millie,

a big plan for you and me.

Why, another plan.

Well, is it gonna be like that plan of the silver mine

that was worthless?

Or like that Spanish don in California

that really turned out to be a Mexican gambler

wanted by every lawman... No, no, listen to me, Millie!

How would you like to be the wife of a rancher,

a big rancher, with 3,600 acres all his own?

I'd like it fine.

What 3,600 acres?

The Jeffers' ranch. It's going for taxes, ain't it?

Mm-hmm. $637.

And I've got it.

I've been scrimping and saving all my life, and I've got it.

Millie, I'll give it to you, every cent of it.

And before anybody can move, you pay off those taxes,

and that ranch will be ours, yours and mine.

You're never gonna change, are you, Ed?

Another one of your big deals.

So we're gonna wind up with the Jeffers' ranch, are we? Uh-huh.

All 3,600 acres of land that's run out of water.

Everybody thinks it's run out of water, but I know better.

What do you mean?

You know that little green meadow

up on the north end of the Jeffers' ranch,

everybody thinks it's fed by a small spring from the Ponderosa?

You remember I took a trip about eight months ago?

Yes, I remember. Well, I didn't take that trip for fun.

I went to see a geologist.

I told him about that green meadow,

and he took out a contour map, and he figured out

where there was a possibility of an underground river,

and he showed me on the map where to look for it.

Millie, there's enough water for a ranch twice the size

of the Jeffers' ranch,

just where that dude told me to look for it.

Well, how do you know? I mean, if it's underground.

Well, that's the beauty of it.

I know about it, but nobody else does.

I drove a thin iron rod into the ground

just where the geologist told me to,

and all of a sudden there was no resistance.

And I put my ear to that rod, and, Millie...

Millie, I could hear the water rushing by

like I was standing on the bank of a river.

I've never breathed a word of this to a soul till right now.

Millie, I'm gonna be a rich man.

Well, why don't you stop talking and kiss me?

♪♪

Hey, Bruno, how you doing? Hi, Little Joe. How are you?

Good. How about getting me a beer, huh?

Fifty dollar bill?

That the smallest you've got, Little Joe?

Yeah, I'm sorry. I just did some banking for Pa.

That's the smallest I got.

Well... I'll have to get some change.

Okay. Sorry about that.

Fifty dollar bill.

Was that for my benefit?

Hey, Harry, sorry, I didn't see you sitting there.

You saw me.

You just wanted to make the big entrance.

Come on, finish up. I'll buy you a drink.

Yeah, you'll buy me another one.

Money buys anything, don't it?

What's the matter? What's eating on you?

What's eating me? You, that's what.

You and your smugness and your land

and your water and your cattle and your fifty dollar bills.

You've been throwing it in my face

since the day I was born,

and I hate your guts!

Let's just say you had too much to drink, Harry,

and we'll forget it, all right?

I'm not asking you to forget anything, Joe Cartwright.

Come on, Harry, let's forget it.

Forget it and have a drink. Hold it, Cartwright.

I'll handle this. Go on.

Thank you, Charlie.

Sorry about the mess, Bruno.

That ought to cover it.

Joe Cartwright...

so help me, one of these days I'll kill him.

Come on, let's get that water and get home.

Give me a hand with the tables and chairs, will you, fellas?

All right, Bruno.

♪♪

I'll get it, Hop Sing.

Hello, Matt. Come on in.

Good to see you. How are you, Ben?

Hop Sing.

You busy?

Yes, I am--

Doing the bookkeeping,

and if there's anything I can't stand, it's doing books,

and I'm happy as can be that you came and interrupted.

I can't stand bookkeeping work, either.

As a matter of fact, the only... kind of work I can stand

is that can be done on the back of a horse.

Yeah, me, too. Now, sit down, have some coffee.

Thank you, but...

Thank you, no.

I was going over these books here, you know.

I just figured something out--

That the price of everything went up last year.

The price of oats went up two cents... Ben...

I might as well meet this straight on.

I'm gonna lose the ranch.

Yeah, I figured something was-was in the wind.

I'll tell you, Matt, I was, uh,

thinking maybe I should come around to see you, but...

well, a fellow just can't go barging

into a neighbor's business without being invited.

Now, what took you so long?

I don't know.

Maybe I...

believed in miracles.

Yeah, well, this, uh...

all this book work has made me thirsty.

I'm gonna have a brandy. How 'bout you?

Join me?

You know what I just figured out?

The last time I had brandy,

daytime,

was the last time I did the books.

Good thing I'm not a bookkeeper.

Ben...

it's kind of hard to ask.

If you let me have $5,000,

I'll pay the back taxes.

The ranch is yours, lock, stock, and barrel.

Well, the...

Matt, that ranch of yours is worth...

a lot more than $5,000.

A whole lot more.

If I don't pay the taxes,

somebody will just pick it up for next to nothing.

No.

No, I don't think so.

No, sir, no-nobody's gonna pick up that ranch of yours

for the tax money.

And I'm not gonna buy it.

All that that ranch needs

is a little money and a little water.

Just so happens that I've run out of both.

Just a minute, Matt.

Come on over here.

Now, what's the best source of water

in this part of the territory?

I don't see what difference that makes.

The Ponderosa, the best source of water

in this part of the territory, right?

Now, how long do you think it would take to...?

I don't... Wait a minute now.

How long do you think it would take to...

run an irrigation channel from the Ponderosa

over to your place?

A week? No more than ten days.

This is kind of hard to say, Ben,

but you'll understand, having boys of your own.

With water,

Harry would see a real working ranch.

And I think he'd turn out to be just like Little Joe,

which is something I've wanted all along.

Well, now,

I take that as a compliment for Little Joe.

And for myself. But first things first.

Now, we're gonna get you a loan so you can pay the taxes.

And then we're gonna collect some people

and the right kind of equipment, and we're gonna run

that irrigation channel right over to your place

and get some water for you.

Friend?

Friend.

Your handshake is good,

and I thank you for knowing that mine is, too.

But I'd like this all legal and...

you know, papers drawn up and all.

Well, if you want it legal, papers drawn up and all,

you just go ahead and draw up the papers

and send 'em over to me and I'll sign 'em.

Now drink up.

How does a man say thanks?

Matt, I ought to punch you right in the nose

for not coming to me six months ago.

Thank you.

Oh, hello, Mr. Jeffers. Can I help you?

You sure can, Millie.

I'm missing a foreman.

I figured I might find him around here.

Oh, Mr. Jeffers, I haven't seen Ed since noon.

Well, that's quite a while for you two to be apart.

Would you get out my tax bill?

Do you want to pay it, Mr. Jeffers?

Oh, you're doggone right I do.

And that ain't the half of it.

Ben Cartwright gonna run water over to my place.

I'm gonna be able to restock.

Millie, that foreman of mine's

gonna be a mighty good catch for you yet.

We're gonna have a small-sized Ponderosa out there.

Well, this is a surprise.

I'm very happy for you, Mr. Jeffers.

Oh, thank you, Millie.

And you know what?

I'm gonna rebuild that foreman's shack

into a nice little house,

just in case some couple might want to live in it.

Millie, I thought this day would never end.

Oh, well, neither did I.

Millie, honey, what's the matter?

Millie, honey, what's the matter?

You know, today for a minute, you really had me convinced.

Oh, I ought to have better sense

than to ever listen to you and your harebrained schemes.

What are you talking about? Oh.

You and your big plans for taking over the Jeffers place.

You and your underground river.

Buying the place for taxes, you said.

Well, I told you the truth.

It's all set. I got the money for the taxes.

The taxes have been paid.

What?

Matt Jeffers came in today with the money.

Where'd he get it?

Ben Cartwright gave it to him.

He didn't.

Oh, he sure did.

Where does that leave you, Ed? Hmm?

Cartwright's gonna help him restock

and channel water in for him.

Well, I can't let that happen.

I can't let Ben Cartwright get in my way.

How do you plan on stopping him?

Cartwright and Jeffers have been friends for a long, long time.

There must be a way.

If I could...

drive a wedge between 'em...

I'll do it.

I've got to do it.

Oh, well, you've got to do it, Ed,

because that's the only way you're going to get me.

Thank you.

You sure work hard long time on this map, Mr. Cartwright.

How long now before you come to dinner?

Well, Joe isn't here yet. The moment he gets here,

we'll sit down and eat, all right?

Huh.

Well, Pa, we're gonna have some difficulty

getting all the men we're gonna need.

I rode all the way down into Carson Valley, and...

looks like every man from eight to 80

has gone to Idaho on that silver strike.

What about Phil Hueing?

He usually knows where there's some extra men.

Pa, he's the first man I went to.

But it seems like every available hand

is over at the Yellow Jack or some of the other mines...

Oh, yeah. They're doing that improvement work, aren't they?

Right.

Hey, Pa, how you doing?

Hoss. Howdy, Joe. Joe.

Here's that payroll money.

Ah.

I wish we could hire ourselves some hands to help dig

that channel for Matt Jeffers with this payroll money.

Yeah. What's all the talk about Matt Jeffers?

Well, you know, his ranch is dry as a bone.

I promised I'd dig him a channel to get some water over there,

but we can't find the men to do it with.

Pa, Mr. Jeffers has hung on now for this long.

Looks like another couple of days or so

wouldn't be that important.

Well, it may take more than a couple of days.

Anyway, it's not only Matt.

He's having some problems with his boy, too.

Yeah, I had a few problems with Harry myself today.

I had a run-in with him in a saloon.

What about?

Well, it wasn't about anything.

He was... feeling kind of low, had a few drinks too many,

took a swing at me, and we got into it.

Kind of busted things up a little bit in the bar.

I'm $40 short.

Fine.

Joe, I don't like hearing things

about you having fights with anybody, particularly Harry.

Well, I don't like getting into 'em either.

I've forgotten about it. I'm sure Harry will, too.

Well, how are we gonna get this channel dug?

Pa, I was just thinking.

If we're up-to-date with all of our timber contracts,

can we bring some of those crews down here

and put 'em on this project?

Not a bad idea.

Joe, how about you running up there tomorrow

and see how things are getting along.

Do it first thing in the morning. All right.

Everybody better come supper now

before large venison roast become small like a lamb chop!

Here we come, Hop Sing.

I'll see if I can't get you a deer tomorrow.

How's it going?

Well, it's coming along all right, I guess.

Find any more breaks in the fence, did you?

Couple of 'em.

You didn't tell Pa about...

me and Joe Cartwright getting into that fight, did you?

No. I told you I wouldn't.

I don't know what it is, Ed.

No sense in trying to talk to Pa about it.

It just seems that long back as I can remember,

you know, he's been saying, "Well, Joe Cartwright,

he wouldn't do it this way and he wouldn't do it that way."

Yeah, I guess your pa does like the Cartwrights,

but in view of what just happened,

you can't really blame him.

Well, it wouldn't make no difference

if Ben Cartwright hadn't offered to help, you know.

Long as I can remember, when Ben says "frog,"

Pa jumps.

Well, you got to admit Ben's helped him

more times than you can count.

Well, I almost wish he hadn't offered to help this time.

I've gotten so sick of this place.

I'd like to leave it and never see it again.

Oh, that's no way to talk, Harry.

The only way a man will amount to something is to...

is to own land.

Look at this meadow.

Prettiest thing you ever seen.

Now, if all 3,600 acres looked just like that...

But they don't.

It's only this little green patch.

And even it's watered by the Ponderosa.

Yeah, it, uh...

it does seem we depend a lot on the Ponderosa, doesn't it?

Well, uh, I guess I'd better get back to work.

Ed?

Yeah.

I guess I'd better tell Pa

about that fight with Joe, huh?

If you don't, somebody will.

See you at suppertime, huh?

Dad-burnit.

Whoa. Whoa.

Aah.

Sounds like somebody was luckier than we were, Cochise.

Ah, come on.

Someone shot me, Ed.

Yeah, I saw him. It was Joe Cartwright.

Joe Cartwright?

Joe Cartwright.

Take it easy now.

I'll get you home.

Harry...

T-Talk to me.

Can you hear me, son?

What happened? Uh...

Who shot you?

Joe.

Joe Cartwright.

He...

Doc?

I'm sorry, Matt.

I did everything I could.

Joe... Cartwright.

I can't believe it.

Well, you heard him, Matt.

I... I wish I could change it,

but... but you heard him.

Joe Cartwright would never do a thing like this.

Well, that's, uh... that's not for us to decide, Doc.

I think we ought to let the sheriff do the questioning.

He's right, Matt.

Will you take care of it, Ed?

I can't talk to nobody.

Not right now.

Sure, Matt.

I'll take care of... everything.

Clem, I didn't even see Harry today.

Maybe so, but I've got a dying man's statement

and three witnesses who heard it.

I figured that was enough, or I wouldn't have brought you in.

I also have your rifle

with the shell casing still in the chamber.

I told you I took a shot at a deer.

Yeah, you told us.

Sorry we took so long, Joe.

We just got back to the ranch and heard what had happened.

Now, Clem, what is this all...?

Harry Jeffers was ambushed.

Before he died, he said he was shot by Joe Cartwright.

Now, that's ridiculous.

Ben, there were three witnesses.

They all heard him.

He's right, Ben.

I was there.

All right, Joe, what... what do you say happened?

Well, I don't know what happened.

I don't know why Harry would say I shot him.

I heard Harry, with his last breath,

say that Joe Cartwright shot him.

All right, Ed, that'll be enough of that.

Enough of that? What are you gonna do,

slap him on his wrist because he's a Cartwright

and then tell him not to do it again?

You know better than that, Ed.

There'll be an inquest and then a trial, if it comes to that.

Now, you get out of here.

An inquest.

Then Ben here'll hire a fancy lawyer

that'll twist the jury around until he's a regular hero.

Probably get a medal for bushwhacking a 22-year-old kid.

Joe, you'll be notified about the hearing, so don't leave

the Ponderosa. I'll have to keep the rifle for evidence.

Uh, Clem, uh...

Come on.

Even murder's all right when you're a Cartwright, ain't it?

Joseph.

Oh, Ed, I've got to hand it to you.

I didn't think you'd go through with it.

What are you talking about?

Well, Ed, let's don't play games.

You said you'd figure out a way to drive a wedge

between Ben Cartwright and Matt Jeffers.

Well, you did it.

You killed the only thing

that meant more to him than that land.

You don't believe Joe Cartwright shot him?

Ch, of course I don't.

He didn't have any reason.

Well, there was that big fight over in the saloon.

People know Joe Cartwright better than that, Ed.

They'll need more reason, too.

All right.

I'll give you one.

It was a hunting accident.

Little Joe took a shot at a deer and hit Harry.

When he saw Harry was gonna die, he just ran off,

figuring Harry wouldn't live long enough to say who it was.

Oh, that's not bad.

That's not bad at all.

There's no way of proving it, though.

Well, there could be.

That was Saturday, your day off, remember?

Don't you usually rent a buggy and go for a drive?

Oh, well, I did rent a buggy. I went for a drive.

Then you could have seen the whole thing.

Oh, yes, I could.

Of course it's taking a chance.

Oh, well, it's also 3,600 acres of range land

with an underground river.

Joe, a lot of people heard about that fight you had with Harry.

Not gonna help matters too much.

Well, doesn't mean anything.

Harry lost his temper, and we got into it, that's all.

Joe, you don't have to explain anything to Pa and me.

Yeah. Yeah.

I've asked Jeremy Grant to come out to the house, Joe.

I... I figured it'd be better to talk out here

than in his office.

He's as good a lawyer as there is in the territory, Joe.

Yeah.

It's beginning to look like

I'm gonna need the best lawyer in the territory.

Matt, I know how you feel about Ben Cartwright,

and Harry knew it, too.

But you can't let your feelings blind you to the facts.

I just don't believe it, that's all.

Ben was trying to help me.

Was he?

He was gonna channel in water to you, wasn't he?

Matt, he hasn't turned over one shovelful of dirt.

And what's more, he didn't intend to.

Ben wouldn't do a thing like that to me.

Oh, wouldn't he?

Well, look at it this way.

Suppose you had given him this note.

Without that water, you couldn't have made the first payment.

And the minute you defaulted, Ben would have your ranch.

Don't you see that's how he planned it?

But I offered him the whole ranch

for $5,000, and he didn't take it.

Do you think

the great Ben Cartwright is gonna let people know

that he bought your ranch for $5,000

when you were down on your knees?!

Not ever.

This way, he could... he could tell people

that he tried to help you, but it just didn't work.

He can say how-how sad he is about it all,

but he'll still have your ranch.

I don't know what to think anymore.

Why'd Little Joe...

kill my son?

Well, I don't think that was intentional, Matt.

I think Joe shot at a deer and hit Harry.

When he found out how bad the boy was hit, he took off,

thought that Harry wouldn't live long enough

to-to say who it was.

So he didn't have a reason.

Figured he could get away with it,

being one of the Cartwrights.

Joe is one of the best shots in the country.

Anybody can miss.

He did.

As bad as the accident was, the real crime was his running off

and leaving Harry like that.

If I hadn't come along and found him, I...

I know.

I'll always be grateful to you for that, Ed.

At least the boy died here at home.

Home.

It's what I wanted most for him.

This place is closing in on me.

Too many memories.

Gonna take me a little ride.

Sure, Matt.

Go ahead. I know how you feel.

Joseph, you feel you've told me everything there is to tell?

That's all there is.

Well, Jeremy, what do you think?

I've been your lawyer for a long time, Ben.

I know you like complete frankness.

There isn't time to do much before the inquest tomorrow.

In the absence of any new evidence,

I'd say there's a 50-50 chance

that Joseph could be indicted for murder.

There's nothing else we can do, right?

The important thing is to get ready for the trial itself.

I'll get back to town now and concentrate on that.

Good-bye, Hoss, Joseph.

Jeremy... I want to thank you for coming out.

Not at all. It was the thing to do.

They told Joseph to stay in the Ponderosa, and at this point

we'll stick right to the letter of the law.

Yeah. Look, uh,

I-I just can't... can't figure Joe as...

Uh, look, that Y-young Harry must have had somebody

that had something against him.

Look, if there was some way of finding him.

May-Maybe I could go out and talk to Matt.

Would there be anything legal against me doing that?

Why, I see no reason why you shouldn't.

You think he'll talk to you?

I don't know, but got to make a try.

Well, I think you should.

Good-bye, Ben. Bye.

It's gonna be all right, Joe.

It's got to be.

Hey, Matt!

It's Ben Cartwright.

I want to talk to you.

Matt,

what's the matter with you? Didn't you hear me?

It's Ben Cartwright. I want to talk to you.

Put away that rifle.

♪♪

I thought I heard some shooting back this way.

Oh, was a coyote, uh,

right out here in broad daylight.

Did you get him?

No, but I run him off.

Matt, why don't you come on and get some rest.

You haven't eaten or slept.

I'll try, Ed.

But I can't think of anything else

except that inquest tomorrow.

Well, it's... it's got to be done.

Got to be done.

And then his father asked him who shot him

and Harry said...

Joe Cartwright.

Those were his last words.

Your corroboration of the deathbed statement

is now a matter of record.

Thank you, Dr. Martin.

There is one additional witness.

Millie Perkins, will you come up, please?

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

All right, you're under oath.

Now would you tell your story in your own words?

The day that, that you're talking about--

Well, it was Saturday and the office was closed.

I rented a buggy and went for a drive.

Now, when you say the day we were talking about,

you mean the day Harry Jeffers was killed.

Go on.

I drove to that pretty little green meadow

that I like to go to. It's on the Jeffers' ranch.

This is unexpected. I hope it doesn't mean any trouble.

Miss Perkins, remember you are under oath.

Go on.

I was riding along that road

dividing the Ponderosa from the Jeffers' ranch

when I saw Joe Cartwright

riding down a slope.

He stopped, and then I saw him draw his rifle and fire.

And all of a sudden he turned his horse and rode off.

Well, now, you heard Joe Cartwright's testimony.

He mentioned hearing a shot.

Did you hear any shot other than the one he fired?

No, I didn't.

This may not be a court of law,

but it is a coroner's inquest.

And I'll either have quiet

or I'll have the sheriff clear the room.

Now, Miss Perkins, what did you do after that?

After that I came on back to town.

Miss Perkins, if you had this information,

why didn't you say something before this?

I didn't think anything of it until Ed Phillips

showed me where Harry Jeffers was killed.

And I realized that it must be

Joe Cartwright's bullet that hit him.

He must have seen Harry fall, but

he just rode off and left him lying there.

Ben Cartwright, you don't have to steal my ranch. Matt,

Matt, be quiet. I'll give it to you. No, Matt,

that's enough. And I don't want any more of your help.

That's enough. All I want to do

Matt. Is see that murdering

son of yours hanged. Matt Jeffers,

you be quiet and get back in your seat.

I have warned you for the last time.

I declare this inquest in recess, and when

we reconvene in 15 minutes,

you'll either conduct yourselves

in a manner befitting the occasion, or

I'll hold you all in contempt.

And I have the authority to do so.

Sit down.

Matt, Matt, I've got to talk to you.

Let's get away from here. Come on, come on.

I can't figure out why she's lying.

She couldn't have seen me fire the rifle.

I didn't even fire it in the same direction that Ed said

he found Harry's body.

Matt, you got to listen to me.

What you just said in there about giving him your land.

That's all he wants. That's all Ben Cartwright ever wanted.

Matt, look, look, there's $640.

It's every cent I got in this world.

You take it. You take it and you pay off Ben Cartwright.

I'd rather spend my last cent buying a worthless piece of land

than let Ben Cartwright have it.

Thank you, Ed.

Cartwright,

there's the money you loaned me.

I owe you nothing more.

But you owe me for the life of my son

and you'll pay me with the life of yours.

This inquest will come to order.

Miss Perkins, will you please return to the witness chair?

You're still under oath.

Now, do you have anything to add to what you've already told us?

No, I told everything.

Very well, you're excused from the witness chair.

Thank you.

Uh, Mr. Avery, uh...

with your permission,

before the witness leaves, may I ask her a-a question?

You may, if the question is pertinent.

I believe it is.

Uh, Miss Perkins,

you, uh, testified that you rented a buggy

on, uh, on that day.

Yes, that's right.

Would you tell us who you rented it from?

Jake Johnson's livery stable.

That's right, Ben. Always does rent one, every time

she's got a day off. I remember my wife

was doing a big washing that day.

Jake, I think you've answered the question, thank you.

Um... A-And then you

testified, I believe, that you, uh,

drove out to the Jeffers' place

to where it borders the Ponderosa and that green meadow.

That's right.

What is this?

She's already answered those questions.

What are you trying to do, Cartwright?

I'm just trying to do what everybody else is trying to do,

and that's to find out how this terrible thing happened.

Would you mind telling us what time

you returned to Virginia City?

I don't know, uh...

half past 6:00, 7:00 maybe.

Half past 6:00 or 7:00 maybe.

Maybe.

Jake, could you help us out here?

Do you know exactly what time

Miss Perkins brought that buggy back to your livery stable?

I sure can.

I always look after these things.

It was exactly 5:00.

Exactly 5:00. Not 6:30 or 7:00,

but 5:00.

That's enough of this. What's he trying to prove?

Now, according to the, uh, record,

Mr. Avery, uh, what time

did the shooting take place?

3:30 in the afternoon.

3:30 in the afternoon.

And you did say that you were a witness to that shooting?

Yes.

And you saw the shooting at 3:30 and according to Jake,

you were back in Virginia City at 5:00 in the afternoon.

Why don't you quit badgering her, Cartwright?

You don't have to answer him, Millie. He's just

trying to rattle you.

Mr. Avery, I would like

an answer to this question.

Answer the question, Miss Perkins.

Well, I told you I don't remember what time it was.

How would I know? Leave her alone.

What's the matter, Ed? Don't you want the truth?

She's already told the truth.

Be quiet, Ed.

Well, he's just leading her on,

trying to get her mixed up.

Go on, Mr. Cartwright.

Matt, you heard Miss Perkins

testify that she was a witness

to the shooting at 3:30 in the afternoon.

And you heard Jake tell us that

she returned the buggy to him at 5:00 in the afternoon.

Now, you've ridden out from your place to

Virginia City maybe hundreds of times.

How long does it take you?

Two hours on a fast horse.

And a lot longer in a buggy.

That's right, Matt.

Two hours on a fast horse

and a lot longer in a buggy.

And now she saw the shooting at 3:30

and was back in Virginia City by 5:00?

That's right, Matt.

It took her an hour and a half to get back in that buggy.

She never saw that shooting, Ed, she's lying.

She's not lying.

You all heard her.

You're mistaken, Jake.

How could I make a mistake?

I get paid by the hour.

I got it all down in my record book.

It was exactly 5:00.

Miss Perkins,

do you wish to reconsider any of your statements?

Otherwise I must warn you I consider

the possibility of perjury.

It wasn't my fault.

Ed Phillips... Millie.

Millie, you don't know what you're saying. She's...

She's all mixed up.

Ed Phillips threatened me

if I didn't lie for him.

She's lying.

Millie, Millie, you don't know what you're saying.

Don't blame me, Ed Phillips.

You were trying to keep Matt Jeffers

from making a deal with the Cartwrights.

That's why you killed Harry Jeffers.

What?

Millie...

I had it.

I had the ranch, Millie.

Cartwright.

Ed, you're in a lot of trouble. Hold him back, here.

Matt... Matt, I didn't mean to kill him.

I just wanted the land, Matt.

A man without land ain't nothing.

Well, why didn't you speak up, Ed?

Why didn't you speak up?

I owed you for back wages.

I owed you for ten years of loyalty.

I didn't want to give you a half of nothing.

After we had water...

I was gonna make you a partner.

Come on, Ed.

Joe.

I'm sorry. I...

I didn't want to believe it.

I understand.

We all do, Matt.

Like I said the other day,

there's no one we'd rather have as a neighbor than you.

Thank you, Ben, I... I know.

But with Harry gone, it's...

Well, seems to me like he'd want you to go back

and build up the ranch, Mr. Jeffers.

Could be a fine ranch.

Did you say could be, Matt?

It Will be.

Now, come on, we've got ourselves a...

a water channel to finish. Let's go.

This has been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.