All language subtitles for Perry Mason S03E19 The Case of the Bashful Burro.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

Afternoon, Mrs. Norton.

Mr. Bascombe.

Your, uh, husband
anywhere around?

He's in the mine.

Like to talk with you and him.

We've nothing to talk about.

Here. Let me have that.

You're too young and pretty
to be doing work like this.

If you were mine, I'd have
people doing this for ya.

Haven't I heard that you already
have a wife, Mr. Bascombe?

Yeah, but, uh, arrangements
still could be made.

Put the bucket
down there, please.

You, uh, still don't
understand what I'm driving at.

I understand, only too well.

I thought I made it clear,
Bascombe, last week.

You're not exactly a
welcome visitor here.

I don't blame you for
being feisty, Norton.

I-I lost my temper,

I decided I'd better
ride over and apologize.

Okay, you've apologized.

And, uh, while I'm here,

I figured I'd make you
another offer for your land.

Not interested. I thought
I made that clear too.

This is my final offer.

Seventy-five hundred.

Ah, your final offer.
Good. Then I don't have

to keep telling you
I don't want to sell.

You're riding a
stubborn trail, Norton.

But I can be just as stubborn.

Is that another threat
to drive us out of here

if you can't buy us out?

Well, that was temper
talking the other day.

But I'll tell you this.
You'll be driven out,

because nobody can
make this mine pay.

You've said that before.

Well, I'm saying it again.

You've seen the old assays,
had assays made yourself.

T-t-t-there's not enough gold
here to justify digging for it.

A worthless mine
and a piece of land

that's no good to
anybody but me.

And I don't need the
land, just the water.

Then I must be a fool,
because I'm certainly not selling.

Jerry.

Can't you drive some sense
into his head, Mrs. Norton?

I guess I'm a fool
too, Mr. Bascombe.

You'll regret this.

Both of you.

Dinner's ready, Jerry.

Ah.

We have a real banquet tonight.

Tomato juice to start with.

And then chicken, biscuits,
peas, salad, and coffee.

Just like in the city.

Have I told you you're
wonderful, Mrs. Norton?

Not in the last hour or so.

To follow me to this
crazy, forsaken place

and make fun games
out of it day after day,

even when slimy creatures

like that Bascombe
keep comin' around.

Down.

Get out.

Get out.

Get out. Get out.

Anybody to home?

Hi, there, Amos.

Tie up Sheba, come on
in and have a cup of coffee.

I'd like that, Mrs. Norton.

All right, Sheba.

Get you a lump of sugar.

You know, it's been so long
since you called on us, Amos,

I've forgotten how
you like your coffee.

A little cream, if
you don't mind.

Now I remember.

Cream for you and a
lump of sugar for Sheba.

You know, we've missed
you both around here.

Well, seems like Sheba and me,

we're just natural
born wanderers.

Also seems like you had
trouble here last night.

What makes you
say a thing like that?

Them holes in the coffeepot
and other things outside.

I heard the shots too.

And that ain't all.

Eh, I thought that
was Sheba out there.

How ya been, Amos?

Just fine, Mr. Norton.

Hi. Amos was just gonna
tell me about his travels,

weren't you, Amos?

You heard some
shots, and what else?

Well, last night I
camped about a half-mile

to the other side of the ridge.

And just after the
shots, a fellow rode by,

coming lickity-split
from your direction.

Did you see who it was?

Just as good as.

He was riding a big palomino.

Bascombe.

Now, you don't
know that, Gerald.

Neither does Amos.

Bascombe's prize horse.

Headin' towards
Bascombe's ranch.

Who else could it
be, Mrs. Norton?

Nobody else.

Gerald!

I've got to have it
out with him, Sally.

We'll never have a
moment's peace if I don't.

But this rifle won't
bring peace to anybody.

I guess you're right.

But I'm still talkin' to him.

Well, all right, but be careful.

I'll take the jeep.

See ya later, Amos.

Kind of wish you'd
let him take that rifle.

Why?

Bascombe's an evil
man. I'd kill him myself,

if I thought I could
get away with it.

Yes?

I'm Gerald Norton,
Mrs. Bascombe.

We met several months
ago, when I first came here.

Oh, yes. I remember your wife.

Come in.

Well, I was actually
looking for your husband.

Oh. Ken's in town.

You know where in town?

Yes. At the Golden Nugget,

buying drinks for
everybody in sight.

You see, it's Frontier Week,

and Ken always
takes it very big.

I'd forgotten about
the celebration.

Thanks, Mrs. Bascombe.

Was your husband
here around 7 last night?

Why do you ask?

Around that time somebody
fired some shots at our campfire.

And you think it was Ken?

That's what I want to find out.

Well, I must say,
you're going about it

in a very sneaky
way, Mr. Norton,

talking to me behind Ken's back.

I don't like it,

and neither will Ken.

Sorry if I've offended you.

Just get out.

Well, honey,

I hope you never
treat me that way.

You didn't let him
see you, did you, Roy?

I'm not that crazy.

Fact is, the only thing
I'm crazy about is you.

Oh, don't. What's wrong?

That little mining
man upset you?

Oh, no, darling.

No, I was just afraid that
he'd see me, that's all.

Oh, Roy. Why can't
we just clear out?

On what? My foreman's salary?

We can't go on this way.

Are you hintin' we should
break up, Mrs. Bascombe?

Oh, no. Oh, no. No.

But what happens
when Ken finds out?

When he does,

I clear out, I guess.

Rodeo at 2:00.

Everybody turn out.

Rodeo at 2:00.

Buy a button, mister.

Quick. Or else
you'll go to jail.

It's, uh, for charity.

I don't mind buying a button,

but what's all this
about going to jail?

Well, you'll be arrested
if you don't have a beard,

or one of these buttons.

It's only a dollar.

That seems cheap enough
for immunity from arrest.

Well, golly, thank you.

I can't believe this,
48 more dollars.

This is a pretty car. My.

I wish I had one.

Excuse me.

Where might I find Mr. Wright?

Well, he generally eats
lunch about this time

in the Golden Nugget there.

Thank you. You're welcome.

Hey, hey. All right.

Hey, uh, lookin' for
something, stranger?

Uh, someone. A
Mr. Crawford Wright.

Ah, you mean the Welshman.

He's the gent over there
with the scraggly beard,

eatin' by himself. Thank you.

Say, hey. How about me
standing you a drink, partner?

Maybe later, partner.

Ah. Any old time.

Hello, Mr. Wright.
I'm Perry Mason.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Mason.

Sit down, won't you. Let
me buy you some lunch?

I've already eaten
already, thank you. Oh.

I would have waited
for you in my office,

but you wrote that
you weren't quite sure

what time you'd arrive.

Well, sir. I haven't seen hide
nor hair of Amos Catledge.

Nor of his partner,
Sheba, either. Sheba?

Ha-ha. That's a burro he's
had as long as I can remember.

Treats it like it was human.

Maybe I can also get a
deposition from Sheba.

Oh, is that what
you want Amos for?

I'm representing a
client in a border dispute

over in Kenyoken County.

The old records are lost and
apparently Amos Catledge

is the only person
around who was on hand

when the original
survey was made.

Oh, I see. And so they, uh...

They told you over there
he was headed this way, eh?

I decided since
I'd traveled that far,

I might as well
keep on traveling.

Well, Mr. Mason, I've been doing
assay work for old Amos Catledge

for years now and I know all
his favorite camping places.

So as soon as I finish lunch

we can go out and
take a look for him, eh?

Oh, excuse me. Uh, Mr. Norton.

Mr. Norton.

I want you to meet
Mr. Perry Mason,

the Los Angeles lawyer.

Hello. How do you do?

I thought perhaps
you might be able

to give Mr. Mason a hand here.

He's looking for your old
friend, Amos Catledge.

Oh, well, you certainly
found the right people.

He's camped not more
than 50 feet from our house.

Well, that's good news.

Apparently he's
a will-o'-the-wisp.

Ha. Yes, I know.

Hey, Bascombe.

Well, what d'you know.

My friend with the pretty wife.

Oh, bartender, give
Mr. Norton a drink.

I don't want a drink, Bascombe.

I just want to ask
you one question.

That depends on
the question, eh?

Shoot, tenderfoot. Shoot.

Funny you should use
that word, Bascombe,

'cause that's what you
did last night, wasn't it?

Shoot up our campfire.

You accusin', or askin'?

Both.

Well, to the askin' I'm saying

I didn't shoot up
anythin' last night.

And to the accusin'...

Oh, Jerry!

Are you all right?

I guess so.

Next time, Mrs. Norton, don't
send a boy to do a man's work.

I may seem a boy
to you, Bascombe,

but let me tell you this.

I'm man enough to kill you

if you cause trouble
at the mine again.

There's one banty
rooster gonna lose his head

if he ain't careful.

Aye. Bartender.

Drinks are on me.

The original owner of
the mine was Jerry's uncle,

but he stopped
working it years ago.

And he left the mine
to your husband?

After making Jerry
promise to keep working it

as long as the
grubstake money held out.

Uncle Ezra's life
savings: $1836.

Only that's
practically gone now.

If things are bad, why not
sell the mine to Bascombe?

Uncle Ezra was sure
the mine was valuable,

I have a funny
feeling he was right.

So I want to hang on
as long as possible.

Why is Bascombe so
anxious to get the property?

Water, Mr. Mason.

Bascombe's a
cattleman, first and last.

Two or three pumps working there

would open up thousands of
new acres of new range to him.

He just found this out?

No. He's been after
the land for years,

but Uncle Ezra wouldn't sell.

I know what you're
driving at, Mr. Mason.

But even if Bascombe
was interested in gold,

these reports would
cool him down.

Assay reports go back
more than 40 years.

Now, here's Ezra Norton's here.

And here's your's here, Gerald,

including the one
you asked me to make

the day before yesterday.

They're all the same, Mr. Mason.

Traces of gold, but nothing
in workable quantities.

Now, here is Gerald's
latest samples.

I'd say the prognosis
isn't too optimistic.

Mr. Mason, what should we do?

Well, you said you
were going to hang on.

But, I mean, if Mr. Bascombe
keeps harassing us?

Let him try.

I can shoot a rifle too.

Now, just a minute.
This isn't the old West,

even though Mr. Bascombe
seems to think it is.

The thing to do is
get hold of a lawyer.

Could you help us?

Well, this isn't
exactly my bailiwick.

I'll only be in town
a day at the most.

If you like, though, I'll
try to find a lawyer for you.

Thanks. But, we'll
make out all right.

Amos!

Amos!

There's no telling
when Amos will be back.

Sometimes he stays
out half the night,

especially when the moon's out.

Well, at least I met Sheba.

Even though I couldn't
make friends with her.

Oh, she's just a little bashful.

Unless, of course, you happen
to have a lump of sugar with you.

Hm-hm. Unfortunately, I didn't.

I think I better try to catch
Mr. Catledge in the morning.

We'll see that he waits for you.

I'll drive Mr. Mason back.

Yeah, I better start dinner.

I, um, wonder,

would you two do
something for me?

Of course.

Well, I'm a stranger
in a strange town,

and I hate eating alone.

Would you join me for dinner?

Jerry, could we?

Why not.

It'll only take me
five minutes to dress.

Amos back yet?

Mm. Not yet.

Thank you, Mr. Norton,
for a lovely evening.

Thank Mr. Mason. He paid for it.

Oh, well, now, he's nice,

but, uh, I think I
like you best of all.

Ah, you better had,

because it's much
too late to change now.

Much too late.

Get out.

Get out.

Bascombe. Get out.

Put out the light.
Jerry, you'll be killed!

Do what I say.

He's where he was last
night, up on the ridge.

I can climb up on the other
side of the mine and surprise him.

Jerry, don't. Please don't.

I've got to, Sally. I've got
to end this once and for all.

Look, I said I wouldn't
regret our coming here,

but maybe I was wrong.

I'll go back on what I said.

I just can't see
your getting killed

for a scrap of paper
or a handful of dirt.

It's not just the
handful of dirt, Sally.

Well, maybe he was right.
Maybe that mine's no good.

That doesn't matter.
I just can't let him

take it away from us like this.

Get out.

Get out.

All right, Bascombe.
I've got you covered.

Bascombe?

And now on the
contested will, Della.

I need everything I can
get on young Quinlan.

Have somebody check
the birth records in Tucson

for '35 and '36.

Mr. Mason. Mr. Mason.

Hold on a minute, Della.

Mr. Mason, Jerry's
been arrested.

Arrested? For what?

They didn't say.

He found Mr. Bascombe's
body up on the ridge

where he'd been shooting at us,

and when the Sheriff
came... Bascombe's dead?

Yes, somebody shot
him. Oh, but it wasn't Jerry.

You gotta believe
that, Mr. Mason.

But the Sheriff is holding him?

Yes. That's why I came to you.

Here. Sit down.

I'll be with you in a moment.

Della?

Yes, I'm still on, Perry.

Possible homicide?

But I thought you were chasing
down some old prospector.

Well, I'll get in touch
with Paul right away.

And I certainly hope he
knows where Placer City is,

because I don't.

Bye.

Oh, Mr. Mason, I'm so grateful.

They've got Jerry in the
old jail down the street.

We'll see him in a
few moments, Sally.

I don't care if you
are his lawyer, mister.

Sheriff said he's
a material witness.

Ain't to see nobody.

Do you know
where the Sheriff is?

He don't keep me
informed of his whereabouts.

Now, clear out, mister,
before you get me in trouble.

Well, can't I send the
witness a message?

Nope.

It's very brief, just that

he shouldn't talk to anyone
until he consults his attorney.

Can't you tell him that?

No, I can't.

Hey.

He must've heard you.

Please, mister. Just get out.

All right.

Now give me a
shot in the direction

Norton snuck up on him from.

It'd be around that
rock over there.

And you better get me
some more shots of this area.

Bob, check that spot
again, will ya, please?

Mind if we look around
a little bit, Sheriff?

Hoh, go right ahead, Mr. Mason.

Maybe you and your
detective friend, Mr. Drake,

can straighten some
things out for me.

What kind of things?

I'll give you the
layout, as we found it.

Now, Bascombe's
palomino was standing there,

reins on the ground.

Bascombe was laying
where those chalk marks are,

two bullet holes in his back.

It's your client's story, or
at least what we heard of it

before you shut
him up last night,

that Bascombe was firing
shots at the shack down there.

His wife substantiates
that story, Sheriff,

Well, naturally, she would.
But something else don't.

If Bascombe fired shots
the way Norton claims he did,

the expended shells would
have scattered all over the place.

And so far my men haven't
found a single, solitary one.

Now, it looks to
me like your client

is throwing up a smokescreen,

tryin' to make a gunfight
out of cold-blooded murder.

Let's go, Wagner.

Doesn't sound too good,
that expended shell angle.

No, it doesn't.

Perry.

I'm no frontier scout, but
aren't these burro tracks?

I'd say they were.

What was a burro
doing here last night?

Because these tracks
show traces of blood.

Bascombe's blood. They
must have been made

sometime shortly
after he was killed.

And there was no way of knowing

it was Bascombe firing
down at you, Sally?

No. But who else could it be?

Well, there's no
evidence of shooting

where Bascombe was found.
No empty shells, no cartridges.

There's so much
I don't understand.

Why wouldn't they let
us see Jerry last night?

They can't think that he did it.
It couldn't have been his rifle.

Why couldn't it have
been his rifle, Mrs. Norton?

Because Mr. Bascombe was
dead when Jerry found him.

Sally,

I want to ask you a
personal question.

All right.

In town yesterday
I got the impression

that Bascombe's eye kind
of roved in your direction.

He even said something about
his friend with the pretty wife.

Yes.

Had he made advances to you?

Yes.

Did you tell your
husband about it?

No, I didn't have to.

Jerry sort of sensed it.
Mr. Bascombe was rather obvious.

Jerry told him he better
keep away from his land,

and anything on it.

I see.

Now, what about Amos Catledge?
Have you seen him today?

No, but he must be
around somewhere,

his burro's still here.

All right, Sally.

Paul, let's go into town.

I want you to try
and have a few words

with Mrs. Bascombe, if you can.

Sally, I do want to
talk to Amos Catledge.

Will you tell him
that if you see him?

Of course, Mr. Mason.

And thank you.

All I'm talkin' is
grubstake money.

Thousand dollars or so.

Why, that can't
mean nothin' to you,

now you've come
into the ranch and all.

Why should I grubstake you?

I'm not interested
in prospecting.

Thought maybe you
might be interested

in me goin' away for a spell.

Why should I care where you go?

If I was to disappear,
so to speak,

I wouldn't have to do
no talking to the sheriff.

Talking about what?

That old abandoned cabin

over by Cottonwood
Creek, for one thing.

You've been spying
on Roy and me?

That's right, ma'am.

Well, all right.

So we did meet there.

What good will it do
you to tell the sheriff that?

There's more, Mrs. Bascombe.

Seems I was close by where
Mr. Bascombe got killed,

and right after the shooting
I seen somebody ride away.

Same somebody you
been meeting at the cabin.

Roy?

Are you sure?

Yes'm. Positive.

This could be called
blackmail, you know.

Oh. No, ma'am.

Just the opposite.

I'm trying to help ya.

And Roy Dowson too.

Get out of sight,
Amos, till I see who it is.

There.

Yes? Mrs. Bascombe?

Mrs. Bascombe. I'm Paul Drake,
and I'm doing some investigating

for Gerald Norton's
attorney, Perry Mason.

Well, I-I'm afraid
I can't ask you in,

I'm not quite up to
receiving visitors yet.

I know what a shock
it must have been,

but if I could ask
you a question or two

it'd be a great help.

I know nothing
about Ken's death,

or about Mr. Norton, either.

Did you know where your
husband was last night?

Yes.

We had supper together
and then he went for a ride.

His last ride.

Did anyone go with him?

No, he was all alone.

Now, if you'll please excuse me.

Mrs. Bascombe, just
one more thing, please.

About 7:00 the previous
evening, someone fired some shots

into the Norton's...
It wasn't Ken,

even though Mr. Norton
accused him of it.

Are you sure?

Of course I'm sure.

Ken was with me all
evening, from 6:00 on.

Now I really must go. I'm sorry.

Maybe I ought
to tell that fellow

what I know, Mrs. Bascombe.

Come here.

How far can I count
on you going for $2000?

How far?

A goodly piece, ma'am.

Plumb out of sight, in fact.

Come on, honey. Drink up.

I got money to burn.

Someone wants to
see you in back, Roy.

Says it's important.

Thanks.

Have that drink
finished when I get back.

Hi, Roy. Mike, hi.

Are you insane, coming
where everybody can see you?

You said you'd be
back for supper...

I don't have to account
for my comings and goings.

Not yet. I know, Roy.
Something's happened.

Trouble.

What trouble?

Your remember Amos Catledge,
that crazy old prospector?

He's been watching
us, Roy, at the cabin,

and I had to give him $2000

so that he wouldn't
tell Sheriff Keller.

Well, why not let him tell?
All we got to do is deny it.

Yes, but there's
something else, you see.

He saw you ride back
from Norton's last night,

just after Ken was shot.

He's lyin'.

I never went out.

But, I saw you, Roy.

I saw you follow Ken.
And I saw you come back.

I didn't kill him,
Hazel. Didn't you?

Then how do you account
for those expended rifle shells

I found in your
jacket last night.

I think you'd better come
home with me now, Roy,

and from here on in
I'll want a full account

of your comings and goings.

It's only your
word against mine.

Have you forgotten
Amos Catledge, Roy?

My word, and his.

Coming?

Before I go, Mr. Mason,

would you mind
telling me one thing?

You've managed to get
Gerald Norton released

from jail, you've
practically convinced the DA

that he and his wife
are telling the truth,

so why go on working?

Back histories of half
the people in town,

old records, alibis,
times, relationships,

a person would think you
were writing a mystery book.

It would make a good one.

Disappearing shells,
bloody burro tracks,

a shadowy third
person on the scene,

and I have a feeling
there's more to come.

In which case, I
want to be ready.

I can see you're going
to be working late,

so I'll say goodnight.

Good night, Miss Street.
Good night, Mr. Wright.

Well, Gerald,
congratulations on getting out.

Thank you. Good night, boy.

- Any luck with Catledge?
- Not a bit.

We covered every place he ever
camped within 25 miles. Nothing.

Except for Sheba.

Sheba?

Well, she's still at the mine.

And personally, I
think it's rather strange

that he'd go off and leave
her, after so many years.

I quite agree.

I'm sorry to interrupt,

but Mr. Wright said I'd
find you here, Gerald.

I'm gonna have to ask you
to come back to jail with me.

But why? But you
just let him out.

I know, I know.

But there's a real charge
against him now, Mrs. Norton.

First-degree murder.

Perry... What about
Amos Catledge?

Sorry, still nothing.
But, your hunch

about Mrs. Bascombe
and her foreman was right.

They were together
the night after the killing.

Here's the name of the
waiter who saw them.

All right, Paul,
keep after Catledge.

The State is going to try

to wind up the preliminary
hearing in one day,

I want you to get some things.

All right. Shoot.

A box of shredded
wheat... Shredded wheat?

The large box, and
plaster of Paris, a rope,

a miner's pick, a sharp
carving knife, a hunter's lamp,

a pound of lump sugar.

Uh, the same lump
sugar bartenders use

in old-fashioneds? The same.

Also a Geiger counter,

and a silver plated horseshoe.

Perry, are you
feeling all right?

Tiptop. Now, I want these
things by the noon recess, Paul.

I'll meet you at
the Assay Office.

I mean no aspersion on your
medical knowledge, doctor,

but could you put this in a way

that plain folks like
me could understand?

Yes, of course.

The decedent was
shot twice in the back.

One slug shattered his spine.

The other pierced his heart.

And this caused
his death? Yes, sir.

Instantly, I'd say.
Thank you, doctor.

And now if the court please,

I'll turn the witness over

to our distinguished
visitor from Los Angeles.

Thank you for so
describing me, Mr. Williams.

Our local District Attorney
is rarely so generous.

No questions, Your Honor.

And then Mr. Bascombe hauled
off and knocked the defendant down.

What happened next?

Mr. Mason helped him up and
then Bascombe said to Mrs. Norton,

"Next time don't send a
boy to do a man's work."

And what did the defendant say?

Oh. Well, sir. He said
something I'm sure he didn't mean.

I didn't ask you what
he meant, Mr. Wright.

I asked you what he said.

Well, sir, he said he might
seem a boy to Bascombe,

but he was man enough to
kill him if he ever came near

the mine and caused
any trouble again.

Then, there is a battery-powered
bullhorn at the ranch?

Yes. K-Ken used it to direct
the men at roundup time.

And it would produce a
strange, eerie sound, would it not,

if somebody whispered into
it: "Get out, get out, get out?"

I suppose so, but Ken would
never do a thing like that.

He was too kind.

He was too good and kind.

Why, did you have to shoot him?

Why, did you have to shoot him?

Mm-hm. Yes, sir. Took care
of all the guns at the ranch.

Hobby of mine. Guns.

And you were shown
Mr. Bascombe's rifle

almost immediately
after his body was found.

That's right. Sheriff
showed it to me.

Just like it was after I'd
cleaned it two days before.

That rifle hadn't
been fired either.

And as chief of the ballistics
section of the state crime lab,

you ran tests on both
the defendant's rifle,

already introduced
as People's Exhibit D,

and on slugs taken from
the deceased's body?

Yes, sir.

What were your findings?

Bath slugs were
fired from that rifle.

The defendant's.

Naturally, first thing I did
when I got to the scene

was to look at the body.

Well, you explained
that to us, Sheriff.

I mean in relation
to the defendant.

Well, I asked him if
he'd shot Bascombe.

Said he hadn't, hadn't
even fired his rifle.

So I asked to
see it. Now, go on.

The muzzle and ejector section

both smelled strongly
of fresh burned powder.

Care to cross
examine, counselor?

Your Honor, my
cross-examination may be lengthy.

Since it is almost noon...

Oh, thank you, Mr. Mason.

I hadn't realized
it was this late.

You may begin after lunch.

Court will recess until 2:00.

The Assay Office.

As soon as we can get there.

Half the people in town
think I'm crazy, but I got 'em.

Every single item
on your list. Good.

How'd it go in court today?

Not good. If we don't
dig up something by 2:00,

we're in trouble.

Would any of you care
to join me for lunch?

It wouldn't be quite proper
for me to join you, Mr. Wright,

but Della would be delighted.

Uh...

It'll be a pleasure, Mr. Wright.

The pleasure's all mine.

Open this, will ya, Paul. Mm-hm.

My grandfather had one of these.

When the center drawer
was unlocked and pulled out,

it released the other drawers.

May I have the carving
knife? Yeah, sure.

Uh, I don't get it.

Whenever my grandfather
mislaid his keys,

he used to open
the desk like this.

Isn't this, uh,
breaking and entering?

Hardly entering, Paul,
since we were invited here.

I'm sure, had we asked,

Mr. Wright would have
opened the desk for us.

But he's a state's
witness, Paul.

I don't want the prosecution
to know what we're doing.

Well, just what are we doing?

This is the latest sample of
ore from Gerald Norton's mine.

I'd like you to check it
with the Geiger counter.

You're sure you have
it turned on properly?

Absolutely.

All right, Paul. Put
it and the ore away,

I'll go through these.

What are they?

Assay reports from the mine.

They go back as far as 40 years.

What do you hope to find?

Something Mr. Wright

and everyone else
has overlooked.

A motive for murder.

You say your
husband's been working

the left-hand side
most recently?

Yeah. The reports on
this side were so bad

that he gave up working it
about three, four months ago.

Nevertheless, we'll try
this side, if you don't mind.

Oh, I don't mind. Want me
to show you where he left off?

Please.

You know exactly where
your husband stopped working

when he moved
to the other shaft?

Yes, it's, uh, that
dark vein, right there.

Here, may I have the light?

What in the world is a
bale of hay doing here?

Can't you guess?

Uh-huh. I can guess.

May I have the pick?

All right. Carving
knife, lantern and pick,

but where are you going
to use the lump of sugar?

I'll tell ya in two minutes.

And when the prosecution
introduced that photograph

of the murder
scene into evidence,

you indicated on it the
position of the body, did you not?

By means of the chalk marks.

But there were other
marks at the murder scene

that you failed to indicate?

Well, if you mean
the burro tracks, yes.

Your Honor, counsel's
line of questioning appears

to be completely irrelevant.

What is the passage of a
wild burro across the scene

to do with the matter at issue?

I believe Mr. Mason
has a point in mind.

Yes, Your Honor,
I have. Objection.

Overruled.

You may proceed, counsel.

Now, sheriff, in connection
with those burro tracks,

I believe you were present
during an experiment

about 40 minutes ago?

Yes, I watched it.

Your Honor, these are
plaster of Paris impressions

of a burro's
tracks. Now, sheriff,

would you please tell this court

where these
impressions were made?

Well, one was made
from one of the hoofprints

at the murder scene.

And the other was
made from a fresh print

left by Amos
Catledge's burro, Sheba.

Can you tell them apart?

No, sir. They're identical.

Your Honor, I am
perfectly willing to stipulate

that Amos Catledge's
burro was at the scene.

But I still maintain
that all this is irrelevant

since Amos Catledge
has disappeared

and therefore cannot
be called as a witness.

That's true,
Mr. Williams. He can't.

But the court has
given me permission

to call the next best thing.

His burro, Sheba.

Are you going to let
him make a sideshow

of this court, Your Honor?

Mr. Williams, this court's
sole objective is to arrive

at the truth, and if it
takes a sideshow to do so,

then well and good.

Call the burro, Sheba.

Burro, Sheba, will
come forward, please.

Get away from me.

Get away from me.

G... Get away from me, drat you.

Amos Catledge.

Your Honor, the burro,
Sheba, having testified,

I would now like to call
Mr. Amos Catledge to the stand.

Mr. Amos Catledge to the stand.

But after she give me
the $2000 to clear out,

like I told you, I couldn't
bring myself to leave,

on account of Sheba.

So I shaved and hair-cut myself,

figurin' that'd amount
to the same thing.

Nobody'd know me.

And the hay that
was in the mine shaft,

that was for Sheba?

Yes, sir. Fed her at night.

I see.

Now, Mr. Catledge, you've
explained almost everything,

I believe, except for one thing.

Why did Mrs. Bascombe
pay you to go away?

Like I told you before,
you better ask her.

The defendant, his wife
and I had dinner in town,

leaving their shack
open and unattended.

Did you take his rifle
and kill Bascombe with it?

No, sir.

I wouldn't do nothing like that.

I like Mr. Norton.

Yes, you liked him so well,
you sold him out for $2000.

Well, that was another
reason why I hung around.

I couldn't leave
without being sure

that Mr. Norton would get off.

So just in case, I stayed.

All right, Mr. Catledge,
you can help him now,

by telling us why Mrs.
Bascombe paid you.

That's just it.

She paid me, so I'm
obligated not to tell.

You'll have to ask her.

And you gave Amos Catledge $2000

without even checking
with Roy Dowson

as to the truth of his story?

Oh, I knew Amos
was telling the truth.

Because, you see, I'd found
the expended rifle shells

that the sheriff was
searching for, in Roy's jacket.

And later on, after paying Amos,

you met Roy Dowson
at the Golden Nugget?

Yes. I wanted to tell
him what had happened.

What was his reaction?

He said Amos was lying.

And then I told him
that I had seen him too,

riding out after Ken that night.

Was that true?

No.

Why did you lie, Mrs. Bascombe?

Because I love Roy.

You love him?

Yes, I do,
Mr. Mason. I love him.

And I thought that if
I could let him think

that I knew what he had done,
he would never dare to leave me.

Never.

All right.

I did shoot at the
Nortons' campfire

and holler at them
through the bullhorn.

But that was the night
before Bascombe was killed.

And those empty
cartridges that Hazel...

Mrs. Bascombe found in my
jacket were the ones I shot that night.

You, uh, did this at
Bascombe's request?

Well, he said if I could drive

the Nortons away,
he'd pay me 500 bucks.

And you maintain that you
did not repeat your performance

on the night Bascombe died?

No, sir.

I never got as far
as the Nortons'.

Oh.

I did start out after Bascombe.

Why?

Curiosity. Seein'
what he was up to.

I followed him pretty
near to the ridge

where somebody
was waiting for him.

Man or woman?

I wasn't close enough to see.

Anyhow, I figured if
somebody was with him,

I better clear out.

As I was leaving
I heard two shots.

I was almost back to the ranch

before the other
shootin' started.

All right, Mr. Dowson.

Did Bascombe tell you why
he was suddenly so anxious

to drive the Nortons away?

He said he wanted to
get a hold of the mine.

Are you sure he said
mine and not property?

I'm positive.

Did Bascombe tell you
why he wanted the mine?

No, sir.

Possibly Mr. Wright of the
Assay Office can help us.

Your Honor, may I
recall him to the stand?

Will you come
forward, Mr. Wright?

You're still under oath, sir.

Mr. Dowson, would you step down.

Thank you, Mr. Wright.

Yes, sir.

These, um, assay
reports on the Norton mine

are from your
office, are they not?

Yes, sir. Those are the ones
that you asked me to bring.

And, Mr. Wright, is there
anything in those reports

that would have caused Bascombe,

or anyone else, for that
matter, to covet the mine?

No. Nothing, sir.

You can see for yourself.

Perhaps the clue is in this sack

of recent ore samples
from the mine?

Well, I don't see how
it could be, Mr. Mason.

I tested these samples myself

and they're just
like all the others.

Faint traces of
gold, but that's all.

Why was Mr. Bascombe so
anxious to get hold of the mine?

Well, I really don't
know, Mr. Mason.

Wasn't it because you
told him it was valuable,

and went into partnership
with him to get hold of it?

No, sir. I did no such thing.

No?

Weren't you the person
Roy Dowson just described,

the person Bascombe
met on the ridge?

I was not.

I submit that you
were, Mr. Wright.

I submit that you had an
appointment to meet Bascombe

on the ridge that night,

that you took
Gerald Norton's rifle

from his shack down below,

killed Bascombe when he arrived,

put the rifle back,

and then when the
Nortons came home,

fired down on them
with your own rifle.

You must think I'm out
of my mind, Mr. Mason.

No, Mr. Wright, I think
you're extremely clever.

You knew Gerald
Norton would fight back,

because you'd heard
him promise to do just that

earlier in the day at
the Golden Nugget.

You knew Gerald Norton would
be accused of murdering Bascombe.

But why would I do all this?

To rid yourself of Bascombe
and Norton in one fell stroke.

To be in a position to
get the mine for yourself.

Why, this is ridiculous.

Those assay reports, this ore,

everything proves that
this mine is worthless.

Mr. Wright, when ore
samples are brought into you

do you test them
for radioactivity?

Radio...

Well, naturally.

With a Geiger
counter such as this?

Comparable, yes.

When you tested those
samples from the Norton mine,

what did you find?

Just the usual
background radiation

your counter is
clicking off now.

You're sure of that?

Well, of course I'm sure.

Try for yourself.

This some kind of a trick?

I put those rocks there myself.

No, Mr. Wright,

I removed the
rocks you substituted

for Gerald Norton's samples.

That ore came directly
from the Norton mine.

I know because I
put it in the sack.

And it was for that
ore, rich in uranium,

that you killed
Bascombe, wasn't it?

Not gold, uranium.

Yes!

Because he was
trying to freeze me out,

wanted to keep
it all for himself.

This one? Mm-hm.

I'll get it out
special delivery.

Paul? Huh?

Are you still worried about
the list Perry gave you?

Yeah, as a matter of fact, I am.

I got most of it.

Plaster of Paris for
the burro's hoofprints,

rope to lead it with,
lump sugar to catch it with,

shredded wheat to keep it happy,

though I never heard of giving
a burro shredded wheat before.

Well, I thought it would
be easier to carry around

than a bale of hay.

All right, what in the
world did you want

with a silver-plated horseshoe?

Oh, you mean this?

This was just to bring us luck.