Original subtitles

Lisbeth.

Lisbeth.

Lisbeth, me darling, will you-will you-will you look at this?

The report of the ore on my new claim.

[ chuckles ]

Hold still, Grandpa.

Ah, hold still? How can I, when I'’m

dancing with joy?

No wonder, honey. This ore assay is at 8,000 a ton.

Eight thousand?

After 30 years of working and praying, we'’re rich.

Rich, we are. Rich forever.

That'’s wonderful, Grandpa.

Aren'’t you happy for my grandfather, Hobe?

Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I was just thinking.

Thinking of what?

Well, that around these parts,

sometimes it'’s easier to find gold

than to hang onto it.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

In the roaring, booming days of the old frontier,

men said gold is where you find it.

Which didn'’t apply to diggings and veins

deep in the sun-baked earth.

There were some men who were able to gouge their gold

straight out of a legal...

Gold Strike, Nevada boomed and roared

along with the best of them.

It was here that, after 30 years of prospecting,

Jebal McSween at last struck real big pay dirt,

and finally was able to buy a house and clothes

for himself and his granddaughter.

Now, remember, you promised. Just the post office, then straight home.

Three weeks of celebrating is quite enough.

At my age, Lisbeth darling,

I found out that three days is enough.

Heya, boys.

How are you today, ma'’am?

Are you going to keep your nose in that law book all day?

Or might a gentleman expect some attention around here?

You can get just as much service now as you did

before you became a millionaire.

Millionaire? If Claypoole had given me

a million cash for my claim,

I'’d have spent it all by now,

just as I spent the 3,000 he already paid me.

Well, you were smart taking shares in Mr. Claypoole'’s mining company instead.

You'’ll have a fine income for the rest of your life.

A life that won'’t last too long now.

But the money'’ll go to a certain young lady

who happens to be related to me.

And I expect she'’ll soon be related to you.

Oh, I sure hope so, Mr. McSween.

But not before I get my license as a lawyer.

Then I can get out of my father'’s store

and support Lisbeth proper.

Oh, don'’t wait too long, lad.

There are plenty of other peacocks with fine feathers.

Hobart, by the way,

is you still got some of that Paris cologne that a girl likes?

You must wrap it up nice and pretty

while I goes to the post office for my mail.

Hello, Mr. Claypoole.Hobart.

Just missed your big stockholder.Yeah?

Is there, uh-- there something wrong?

Well, nothing except McSween'’s mine

is giving me more trouble and costing more money than maybe it'’s worth.

Down so deep now, I need a new winch.

Got one in the shed. Handle up to five tons.

I, uh, got a picture of it somewhere here.

Yeah.

Yeah, it looks big enough.

Is it any good?

Haven'’t cheated you yet, have I?

Nope.

But with someone who'’s about to marry into McSween'’s family,

you never can tell. [ chuckles ]

Could you get that up to the mine this afternoon?

Well, the way business is, I reckon I'’m safe for closing up and hauling it myself.

Fine. I'’ll be paying for it when... [ door opens ]

I saw you sneak in here, Claypoole,

ya double-dealin'’, sidewindin'’, no-good crook ya!

But, Jim, I got to assess the stockholders to raise more capital.

A registered letter.

This don'’t make even shenanigans legal.

All you'’re trying to do is to steal back the stock I own in the mine.

Oh...

Easy now, Jeb.Let me go. Let me go!

What happened?No use, Mr. McSween.

Assessing stockholders is perfectly legal.

What? Legal?

Here. Look at this, Marshal.

I'’m sorry, Jeb. The law says you gotta rake up

$30,000 for this here assessment,

or else you'’ve been bamboozled out of your stock and buncoed out of your mine.

Grandpa, please.

Guns never settled anything.

This one'’s going to settle Claypoole'’s hasher, I promise ya.

Talk to Hobart first. He must know something you can do legally.

Yeah, he had the gall to tell me that Claypoole is... [ wagon approaching ]

Oh, Hobart, I'’m so glad you're here.

Grandfather'’s...

What are you doing on a delivery wagon

at this time of the afternoon?I just delivered

a new winch to your, uh-- that is, Claypoole'’s mine.

Oh, on credit, I suppose?

Well, yes.

You see, I got to thinking. One law is on his side.

Oh, so that'’s it.

You'’re not only siding with him, you'’re helping him as well.

Here, get out of this before I blast you to--

Mr. McSween, I'’m only trying to help you.

Go, Hobart, please.[ clicks tongue ]

Howdy, Hobie.Hi.

I saw that hoo-ha you had with McSween.

You figure '’cause you'’re studying the law, you wrote '’em?

The trouble is,

the law says a corporation can assess its stockholders,

and if they don'’t pay the assessment,

they forfeit their stock.

I reckon that'’s what Claypoole had in mind

when he soft-talked old Jeb into taking stock instead of all cash for his mine.

Yeah, I'’m sure he did.

Still, I'’ve been a lawman close to 20 years.

I'’ll tell you, whenever there'’s one law that says one thing,

there'’s another says different. Yeah.

Like the old copybook maxims, huh?

One says, "He who hesitates is lost."

Another, "Look before you leap."

[ chuckles ]

You got any laws like that in that copybook you'’re studying?

I might have, Ed. I just might have.

I kind of thought you had something in mind,

still doing business with Claypoole after what happened.

Yeah, I only wish Lisbeth understood.

Well, if it'’ll help you two lovebirds,

I could put her grandpa in jail till he cools off.

Thanks, Ed, but not yet.

I think maybe I found something in this book which says,

"There'’s more than one way of skinning a cat."

Especially a polecat

who happens to need a winch.

There you are, Mrs. Jenkins. And if they'’re not Tom's size, you just bring them back in.

Hello, Mr. Claypoole. I didn'’t expect you back so soon.

I didn'’t expect to be back.

And I didn'’t expect to be sold a piece of junk instead of machinery!

Junk, Mr. Claypoole?

That thing you sold me for a winch!

Why, the second time my man used it-- wham, it let go!

And not only dropped two ton of chain into the shaft,

but the bucket tore out close to 20,000 feet of brand-new shoring lumber!

My! Are you sure your man knows how to operate it?

Bill Hogan'’s the same man who operated the other winch.

Well, that being the case,

my guess is there must be something wrong with the winch.

Now, that'’s what I'd call a pretty good guess.

Now, you listen here, Hobart. Somebody'’s gotta pay for that mess.

Every last blame cent of it!

Sounds reasonable enough.

I think there'’s a guarantee comes with the winch.

You think?

No, it'’s more than think. I'’m pretty sure.

Only I don'’t like to say things for certain till I look it up.

My law training, I guess you could say.

Well, all I can say is that winch wrecked

close to $20,000 worth of mining equipment.

Yep. Here it is. "Six months guarantee, parts and labor."

Yeah.That should take care of it.

Well, you got another winch in stock?

No, but I could telegraph for one, get it here fast.

Now you do that. I want that shipped out today.

All right.

Doggone it if there'’s not one little hitch, though.

What?

"A guarantee is enforceable against a vendor

"only by a vendee

who has acquired title free and clear."

So?

Well, don'’t you see, Mr. Claypoole?

Legally, you don'’t own that winch. I do.

You ain'’t never paid for it.

I just bought it yesterday!

So you did. But you haven'’t even paid me for last month'’s supplies.

You know, they say a little knowledge is worse than none.

That'’s what the copybook says.In your case, young fella,

reading them law books makes you think you know something you don'’t!

Now, I want that winch delivered no later than day after tomorrow,

or I'’ll sue you for every cent of the damages it made.

And what I don'’t collect,

I'’m personally gonna take outta your hide.

Friend, I not only sell winches, I sell shotguns as well.

At the wholesale price of shells, I wouldn'’t mind wasting a few on you.

Now, are you gonna pay me the 900 you owe me,

or are you gonna make me collect it the hard way?Why, you!

You heard me ask for the money he owes me?

[ hoofbeats departing ]Legally, that'’s what'’s called a demand.

He refused, then he jumped you.

I'’m waiving the assault charges, Marshal, but the money I won'’t.

So if you'’ll send to the county seat for an attachment,

I'’ll sign the complaint and take over the entire mine

Mr. Claypoole'’s trying to steal from Jebal McSween.

Ed, haven'’t you got that attachment yet?

I got a telegram from my deputy.

He'’s on his way back with it now.

But if old Jeb don'’t simmer down,

no attachment'’s gonna do anybody any good.

Guess maybe I should'’ve let you lock him up when you offered to the other day.

Aw, that darned old fool.

Telling everybody he'’s gonna fill Claypoole so full of buckshot,

he'’ll sink in the ground on the first heavy rain.

But he knows better than that.

"Knows better"? Why, he even told Mike Delaney

he'’d ventilate me if I tried to interfere.

Better tell Lisbeth.

She'’s the only one who has any influence.

You stay away from those McSweens.

You'’re the next one on his list.

Man never gained nothing by turning his back,

except maybe a few holes where he didn'’t expect 'em.

No, Ed. This is something I gotta do.

Why, Jeb McSween'’s almost my own family.

[ imitating birdcall ]

You shouldn'’t have come back. You know Grandpa.

But he doesn'’t know I'’m trying to help him.

Selling things to that robber, Claypoole?

Well, that'’s just it.

Claypool'’s so crooked, he'’s twist his self into a knot,

and I'’m holding both ends of the rope.

All right, Mitchell, you had your warnin'’.Grandpa!

Mr. McSween, I was just telling Lisbeth what I'’m up to.

You'’ll be up to your neck in six feet of sod

if you'’re not out of this before I count two.

One.Mr. McSween, you'’ve got to let me explain.

T--

All right, all right. Now simmer down.

Let me explain.I'’d as soon listen to the devil himself.

I'’ve had just about enough of this foolishness.

Now, Jeb, I warned you about making trouble.

Then keep that young Jesse James outta here.

I'’m sorry, Jeb. I gotta lock you up for your own good.

But it was an accident. Ask Hobart.

Did he threaten you with this?

Well, uh...

Either did or he didn'’t.

Well, in a manner of saying, maybe.

Well, in a manner of saying, I'’m jailing him, before I have to for murder.

Oh, no, you can'’t do this to me, Ed. Ed...

Hobart, you'’re not going to let him?

Ed'’s only doing his job.

Locking up a helpless old man?

Helpless? Without his shotgun, maybe. You saw him.

But he'’s not a criminal.Blame near was.

He'’s so riled up right now, he'’d have killed me.

You know better than that.

Now listen, Lisbeth.

It'’s bad enough your grandfather getting so ornery he had to be carted off.

Are you going to get him out, or aren'’t you?

If he gets his senses back.

Oh. So nobody has any sense but you.

Oh, honey, I didn'’t say that.

Don'’t you tell me what you said.

Well, if I don'’t know what I said, who does?

I can see right through you.

You put the marshal up to this.

Great gilded glory, Lisbeth.

You should know me better than that.

I know you now, and I never wanna see you again. Ever!

Well, including what he busted up the other day,

Claypoole owes me $924.33.

And don'’t forget plus costs.

Yeah, when this is served on him, and he can'’t pay--

And he can'’t if we slap him with it real fast.

...I'’ll have title to the mine and Jeb and me

can do a little, uh, rearranging of the shares.

[ chuckles ] If he doesn'’t murder you first.

Yeah.

Sure wouldn'’t want Lisbeth to become my widow

before I get to make her my bride.

John, got an attachment for you to serve.

Ed Bayly, you connivin'’ son of Satan, turn me loose!

You got an ounce of brains in your thick head, ya!

Claypoole know about this?

He knows he refused a man for payment.

And I heard him.

Well, maybe it'’ll help, taking him by surprise.

He'’s a real hard case when he gets riled.

Better serve that, John, before Claypoole gets out of our jurisdiction,

trying to raise money elsewhere.

[ door opens, closes ]

The old boy didn'’t sound cooled down much.

He will. When do you think I oughta let him out?

Well, not before the attachment'’s served,

and we'’re sure we've got his gold mind back for him.

Yeah, I guess you'’re right. Like the copybook says,

we can'’t let him cut off his nose to spite his face.

[ both chuckle ]

♪♪ [ whistling ]

Well? What did Claypoole say?

Nothing.

Well, did he get sore?

Couldn'’t say.

Well, then, what happened?

This happened.

Didn'’t get to deliver the writ.

Didn'’t even get to see Claypoole.

Didn'’t get no further than the gate.

Armed guards.

Hobart, I can'’t ask John to go back up there again.

I mean, he'’s got a family and a couple kids.

I wouldn'’t want anyone to get killed on my account.

You got any more of them deputy badges?

Well, yeah, but, uh--

Then deputize me.

I'’m going up to the mine and serve the writ myself.

You'’ll serve what?

Why, you wouldn'’t stand as good of a chance as my regular deputy.

Sims here knows every trick in the book.

Well, there'’s one he probably hasn'’t thought of. SIMMS: What?

Well, if you'’ll help me load my wagon,

I think Mr. Claypoole'’s gonna welcome me with open arms.

[ wagon approaching ]

That'’s far enough.

Now turn that wagon around and move out.

You'’re making a mistake,I think.

Got something here I owe Mr. Claypoole.

Yeah? And maybe I'’ve got something here that he owes you.

Now turn that wagon around and move out.

Well, whatever you say.

I'’m not gonna argue with that.

But Mr. Claypoole told me to bring up another winch.

Winch? You didn'’t bring me no winch.

You'’re the one that got off that attachment.

Well, sure I did, '’cause you owe me.

But, uh, since I can'’t collect attaching,

I got to figuring it'’d be good business to, uh, give you another winch

so you can start making money again.

And then I can start collecting on the attachment, and...

Well, you understand.

You'’re trying to pull something shady.

Now, wouldn'’t I be stupid, now you'’ve got these guards here?

Well, go on. Look for yourself.

Got no sleeve guns either.

If he even looks like he might try something...

Well? See it? Satisfied?

You said you didn'’t have another winch.

Well, I just said it, hoping I'’d get some money out of you.

Like they say, if you can'’t whip 'em, join '’em.

Drive inside and help us get it unloaded.

[ clicks tongue ]

Sorry I got you so riled up, Mr. Claypoole.

But thinking it over, I decided I'’d get a lot more out of it than just what you owe me.

Now, if you'’ll just sign this receipt,

we'’ll have the mine back in business in no time.

Receipt? This is another attachment!

No, no, no, that'’s the same one, only this time accepting service.

I ain'’t accepting nothing!I'’m here as deputy,

and I warn you not to interfere with an officer of the law.

Well, don'’t just stand there! What'’d I give you jugheads rifles for?

We were hired as guards, not bushwhackers.

[ grunting ]

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

[ grunting continues ]

Hold it right there.[ cocks ]

Drop those rifles.

[ blows landing ]

Now, so you can'’t say you weren'’t served, read that,

and read it out loud, in front of witnesses.

I said read it!

"Hobart Mitchell.

"The ledgers and the tests as of above date,

"Henry Claypoole

"owed him $924.33

"for merchandise and mining supplies

"purchased by the defendant,

"from the plaintiff, Hobart Mitchell,

"and has not paid same, or...

any part thereof."

What'’ll we do with him?

Well, once you let old Jeb out, you'’ll have room for all three of '’em in jail.

You can charge '’em with assault

and interfering with a duly constituted officer

doing his duly constituted duty.[ chuckles ]

I'’m afraid you wouldn't be worth your salt as a deputy, Hobart.

You just naturally sound like one of those fancy-pants lawyers.

Let'’s get 'em back to town.All right.

Now, you'’re ending up better than you deserve,

not losing a penny of the 3,000 you gave Mr. McSween in the first place.

And I'’m canceling the 900 you owe me.

And...

here'’s 2,100 in cash

just for signing a quitclaim deed to your alleged interest in the mine.

It'’s a better deal than I'’ll give you, I'’ll tell you that.

You take it, or else you go back there in a cell.

And here'’s something for free-- a little advice.

Get out of Gold Strike on the next stage.

If you don'’t, the next time I see your battered face,

I may forget that I'’m an Irish gentleman.

So, not only did Jebal McSween get back the mine which was rightly his,

but his son-in-law pushed through legislation

protecting unwary miners from glib promoters

like the unscrupulous Claypoole.

Yes, to use a favorite phrase of Attorney Hobart Mitchell,

"As the copybook says,

'’All's well that ends well.'’"