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Pretty rough work in all this heat,

especially with those chains on 'em.

Animals, boy.

Don't deserve no better.

They have lunch yet?

Yeah.

Plus a ten minute break every hour like your Pa wants.

He send you to check on me?

Look, my Pa's glad

to let the Territory put a road through the Ponderosa.

He wants to make sure they're treated fair

while they're working on our ranch.

Yeah.

I'll treat 'em like little lambs, boy.

Tell your Pa not to fret.

Want a drink?

No, not now.

Thanks anyway.

That's a nice-looking horse.

Yeah, I'm just breaking him in.

He's still a little bit nervous.

Look at him.

Clean clothes... full belly,

and a fine animal to take him wherever he wants to go.

That Travis... one of these days I'm going to get him good.

Yo, Kidd, one more word, you'll do time in the hole.

Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Boy, that was close.

Hey, thanks a lot.

For what?

For what?! For saving my life.

Not for you, friend.

I just didn't want to see your horse hurt.

Now, I ain't going to tell you again.

Get on back to work!

He will in a minute, Travis,

when I get through talking to him.

Well, do it quick.

Look, what's your name?

Kidd. Danny Kidd.

My name's Joe Cartwright.

I wish there was some way I could repay you.

You want to repay me, huh?

Well, that's nice. That's... that's real nice.

Just what do you think you can do for me?

You just try me.

All right, friend.

There is something you can do.

Get these off of me.

Mr. Cartwright,

we appreciated the way you treated our prisoners

when they were working on the road through the Ponderosa,

but don't you think it's carrying it

a little too far to want to free somebody like Danny Kidd?

Well, Warden, we-we said

we-we wanted to try and free him.

This letter from the governor's a pretty good trying.

You know anything about the prisoner?

Only that he saved my life.

Bring him in here.

Going to let him tell you about himself,

and then you tell me

if you still want to see him go free.

You know why you're here?

No.

This is Mr. Ben Cartwright

and his sons of the Ponderosa Ranch.

They want to see you turned loose.

I have a letter here from the governor

granting you an amnesty.

But it also needs my signature.

You think I should turn you loose?

You'll do what you want to do, Warden.

How old are you, son?

Twenty-three.

How long have you been... here?

Ten years.

Since you was 13?

What'd you do?

I stabbed somebody with a fork.

Why?

He tried to steal my apple pie.

Well, that doesn't make sense.

How often you get dessert with your meals?

Almost every night.

At the orphanage, they gave it to us once a month.

Make sense to you now?

When did you lose your parents?

I was five years old.

And you've been... confined

to state institutions all this time?

That's right, Mr. Cartwright,

but I don't call it confined. I...

I call it caged.

Warden,

don't you think he's been punished enough?

I understand what you're saying,

but this is a prison, not a school.

If I had released him, he'd have been back

inside of these walls in less than a week.

He has no trade, no one he can turn to.

He has now.

Do you know what you're letting yourself in for?

He's like a wild animal.

He knows nothing of honesty, decency.

He may even turn on you, do you terrible harm.

You sign that amnesty, Warden.

He'll be my responsibility.

You'll be released to Joseph Cartwright.

Behave yourself for one year,

and you'll get a complete pardon.

But get one inch out of line,

and you'll spend the rest of your days behind bars.

Do you understand?

I understand.

You'll leave with the Cartwrights.

Just a minute, Kidd.

I got your possessions.

All we found on you

when you came here ten years ago.

A hard case.

Not even a thank you.

Well, gentlemen, he's all yours.

I wish you luck.

Thank you very much, Warden, for everything.

- Thank you. - I appreciate...

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Well, little brother, it looks like

you cut yourself out quite a job.

Yeah.

Joseph...

you'll be riding back to the ranch alone with Danny.

Hoss and I promised Mr. Carter we'd find him a prize seed bull.

Oh, and remind Adam about the party for Carter, huh?

All right, Pa. Hey, now, look.

Look, I don't want you to worry.

Danny and I are going to get along real fine.

I hope so.

I certainly hope so.

You've taken on a big responsibility, son.

I know that, sir.

Hey, Danny?

I'm sorry.

I don't like for anybody

to come up behind me, quiet-like.

I'll remember that next time.

Is there anything wrong?

No. I... couldn't sleep.

Too many things to think about.

Hey, you want to talk about it?

The warden called me an animal.

You want to know what an animal thinks about

the first night out of the cage?

Yeah, I'd like to hear it.

What do you see out there?

Well, nothing I haven't seen before.

You know what you don't see?

Walls.

Wherever you look... no walls.

As long as I can remember,

I always looked at a wall.

Standing up, lying down...

Always there was a wall in front of me.

They pressed you in,

made you a small little man.

♪♪

♪♪

Well, it's about time you were getting here.

We'd about given you up for lost.

I'm gone a couple of days, and everybody starts to panic.

The only thing that's going to panic around here is you

when you find out how your back chores have piled up.

- Haven't you been doing my work for me? - No.

Adam, this is Danny Kidd. Danny, this is my older brother.

- Nice to know you. - How do?

Well, everything looks about the same.

Well, they are, except for one thing.

Yeah, see, what I tell you?

What's the matter, somebody steal the South 40?

No. It's Concho.

Concho. What's wrong with him?

He's down. Happened this morning.

Tried to get him up on his feet, but he couldn't make it.

That's the horse I was riding out by the bridge.

- Where is he now? - In the barn.

Let's go.

Danny, come on.

Yeah, it's pretty bad.

See, all the veins are all distended.

The doctor looked at him this morning.

He doesn't feel anything can save him.

You gonna kill him?

I suppose we'll have to.

Why not give him a chance?

We don't like to kill animals, Danny.

Seem like we have any choice.

Well, maybe not, but, uh, I'd like to try.

You ever worked on sick horses?

At prison. I worked with a stock. I learned a little.

It's gonna take more than a little learning

to save this animal.

Well, do what you can.

Joe?

Hmm?

If I cure him, can I ride him?

If you cure him, you can have him.

Could you use some help?

Yeah, I could use a little.

All right, where do we begin?

Well, uh, when a horse gets down,

his insides stop working.

First thing we've got to do is get him to his feet.

Oh, that's not gonna be an easy job.

You got a block and tackle and a bellyband?

Yeah, we got one someplace.

We'll, uh, hook it up to that beam up there,

pull him to his feet, give him enough support so he can stand.

And we'll heat up some blankets and keep him warm.

The rest is up to him.

All right, let's get to work.

- That's it. Come on. - Yeah, that's it...

Easy, boy.

Easy, boy.

So far, so good.

You got a kettle big enough to boil blankets in?

Yeah, out back.

- Let's bring it in here. - Right.

How long do we keep this up?

Till he gets well or dies.

♪♪

You know, I think he's gonna be all right.

I know he's gonna be all right.

Hey, mind if I ask you a question?

Ask away.

I've seen men work hard for something they want,

but I've never seen anybody work like you.

Why is it so important?

Those clothes you're wearing, they yours?

These? Sure they are.

That gun you got, it belong to you?

Yeah.

Fact is, everything you have belongs to you,

that right?

I guess so.

Well, the only thing I remember that belonged to me was this.

I was five years old.

After that, everything I got was...

hand-downs and castoffs.

It was given to me, but it was never mine.

Nothing was ever mine again... till now.

Does that answer your question?

Yeah, I guess it does.

- How's the work going? - Fine.

Except for getting these new duds dirty.

Well, they fit pretty good.

- How's your horse? - Oh, he's all right.

He's doing just fine.

Hey, look, we're having a party up at the house tonight

for old man Carter... He's the one

who sent Hoss and Pa out after the bull.

- You gonna be there? - You askin'?

Yeah, I'm askin'.

I'll be there.

- Okay, we'll see you later. - Okay.

Come on, Teller, give a man a chance.

Bob Stevens, you're one good-looking cowboy.

No question about it.

You're one loud cowboy, that's for sure.

Well, that's confidence.

A man needs confidence to make the pretties notice him.

And I'm loaded with it.

You ready for tonight's doings?

Much as I'll ever be.

Now, you just keep an eye on yours truly.

Do what he does, and you'll get a pretty for yourself.

I'll try to remember that.

Hey, Teller, you know what I need to set me off?

One of them nice, bright neckerchiefs.

Why, to hide the dirt?

Yeah, so something with color in it.

A real eye-catcher.

You got a tie, Teller?

No, anything I got would be too plain for you.

Well, now, somebody around here ought to have a good one.

Maybe that new guy.

Maybe he's got a flashy one I could borrow.

Well, from what I've seen, he don't even have a plain one.

Don't look to have much of anything.

I'll take a look.

Well, look-a here!

Now, what's that?

Looks like some kind of kid's toy or something, don't it?

What do you know.

Man his age playing with stuff like that.

Put it down.

I said put it down.

All right, all right, don't be so touchy about it.

I wasn't doing no harm.

I was just looking for a neckerchief.

You got a nice, flashy one I could borrow?

No.

Not even a little ol' plain one?

You must've got some pretty poor wages at your last job.

You know where I come from.

Still, even in prison, you must've got something.

I did.

Yeah, what?

An education.

They taught me not to be a loudmouth.

Now, listen, hardcase, you been walking around

with a chip on your shoulder ever since you got here.

Fella that plays with dolls can't be so tough.

Well, now, let's see how

they taught you to fight in that prison.

I'm not gonna fight you.

What's the matter, you yellow?

Because you're not worth going back to jail for.

Don't push your luck.

Aw, he's full of air!

Come on, let's go find them pretties.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Hey, what's been keeping you?

We've been looking for you.

Oh, I was checking up on Concho.

Oh, I'd like you to meet Ann Carter.

Ann, this is my friend, Danny Kidd.

Hello, Danny. Little Joe's been singing your praises all night.

Hey, look, you, uh, you keep an eye on her for me.

I want to talk to her father.

He just bought a big herd from us.

I want to make sure he's having a good time.

- Mr. Carter. - Oh.

How are you? Enjoying yourself?

It's a fine party, Joseph, just fine.

I'm only sorry your father couldn't get back in time.

You certainly are a quiet one.

No wonder I hadn't heard about you.

Why, I'm supposed to know all the boys for 50 miles around.

Well, I, uh...

I haven't been around here too long.

That's a shame.

But, uh, I hope you'll stay around,

because I think I like you, Danny Kidd.

Oh.

I do declare, I think you're blushing.

Well, I'm not...

not too, uh, good at socializing with girls.

I don't believe that.

But I'll tell you what we'll do.

I'll teach you about socializing with girls.

Miss Carter.

We'll start with conversation later.

Put your arm around me.

What's that?

Well, put your arm around me.

For dancing, silly.

Oh.

Hey, look there, Bob. You see what I see?

Yeah, I see it.

Looks like they taught that old boy

lots of things in prison.

So he's talking to a girl.

Ann Carter happens to be the prettiest girl here,

and she's talking to him, not you.

Well, I could cut him out like a calf in a corner.

Well, how come you're still standing here

while she's dancing with him?

You know, you ain't smart, Teller,

'cause you ask questions.

And when you're smart, you got answers.

All right, smart boy, what's the answer?

Look, so I go cut him out.

What happens? He just comes back later.

So?

So a smart man... cuts him out permanent.

It's very nice to see old friends again, isn't it?

It's something we should do more often.

I think it was very nice of Ben

- to have this party for us. - Excuse me, folks.

Could I have a talk with you, Mr. Carter?

Of course, Bob.

Excuse me just a moment.

What is it, son?

Well, sir, if I were the father

of a pretty girl like Ann, I'd be more careful

with the type of man she's seen with.

Say what you have to say.

What I'm saying is: he's an ex-convict.

Are you positive about this?

We all know about it, Mr. Carter.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Ann?

Dad, this is Danny Kidd.

Danny, this is my father.

Get your things. We're leaving.

I was just beginning to have a good time.

Don't question me.

Do as I say.

Is there something wrong, Mr. Carter?

Ann and I are leaving, and right now.

I don't understand.

Well, I can see why the Ponderosa

might hire an ex-convict...

but I can't understand how you could allow him

to entertain my daughter.

Well, we didn't intend to keep it a secret.

We just didn't think that tonight

was the right time to talk about it.

When my daughter's welfare is concerned,

any time's the right time.

Good night, gentlemen.

Mr. Carter gets hot too easy.

He didn't mean it.

Look, we're sorry this happened.

I'd like to find out who did it.

I'm about to.

Just a minute.

Let us take care of this.

Did one of you tell Mr. Carter about Danny?

You fighting his battles for him?

I fight my own battles.

No, not here, not now.

We've got guests in the house.

Let's try to remember it.

All right, now, which one of you told Mr. Carter about Danny?

Well, you know, when old Bob makes up his mind,

it's kind of hard to get him to change it.

Both of you, get back to the bunkhouse.

Oh, I don't take orders from you.

Look here, it was your dad that hired us, not you two.

Pack your gear.

I'll have your wages ready in ten minutes.

Might be we'll meet up sometime,

settle our differences.

I think we'd better get back to our guests.

All right, come on, everybody, let's dance.

♪♪

I'll get you some punch.

Good night, Betty.

Good night, Rob.

Oh, boy, am I glad that's over.

Well, I'm for bed. How about you guys?

Oh, I think I'll have a look at Concho.

- Yeah, I'll go with you. - See you tomorrow.

- Right. Take it easy, Adam. - Good night.

Let's get a drink.

Okay.

You think you can take him?

Just watch me.

You want it real bad, don't you?

That's what I'm here for, little friend.

I figure I can handle you, too.

Yeah, well, you're going to have to, Teller.

W-W-Wait. Wait a minute.

What's the matter with you?

I'm not going to fight you, friend.

I'm going to kill you.

Danny!

Danny, let him up. Let him up.

You're going to kill him.

Get him out of here, fast!

Come on.

Get up.

What's the matter with you?

You trying to kill him?

That's the reason for fighting, isn't it?

No, it isn't.

Stevens was sore, but he didn't want to kill you.

In prison, you got a man down, you made sure he stayed down.

You didn't, he'd get you.

A week, a month, a year... Time didn't matter.

One day, you'd turn your back and he'd get you.

Maybe that's the way it is in prison,

but it doesn't work that way on the outside.

Now, you were wrong... Real wrong.

I make a habit of being wrong.

Maybe you were wrong in taking me out of that cage.

When I think I'm wrong, I'll tell you.

Hi. Welcome home, Pa.

Adam said you wanted to see me.

Yes, I do.

Understand you had a little trouble here last night.

Yeah, well, if, uh... if you mean

that trouble with Mr. Carter, that was...

Uh-uh.

No, I don't mean the trouble with Mr. Carter.

As a matter of fact, I, uh...

I saw Mr. Carter in Virginia City earlier today.

Naturally, he was concerned for Ann,

but he understood what we were...

you know, what we were trying to do.

No, I was referring to the, uh...

the trouble that came later.

Oh, yeah.

You-you must be talking about the fight.

Well, that... that wasn't anything.

We settled that.

Adam tells me that, uh, Danny tried to kill Bob Stevens.

Is that right?

Yes, that's right.

Why?

Did, uh... did... did Bob provoke him so much

that he had to try to kill him?

Well, maybe Danny thought he did.

Do you think he did?

No.

No, not enough to kill him.

What do you intend doing about it?

I wish I knew.

Joseph.

Now, you know you have the power to send him back to prison

if that's what you want to do.

Look, Pa, we knew it wasn't going to be easy with Danny.

He's so used to being inside, in that cage where...

where people feel it's kill or be killed,

it's just hard for him to get used to being

with people on the outside... That's all.

And you think you can get him

used to being with people on the outside?

Yes, I think so.

I think it's going to take time, but I think I can do it.

It's quite a responsibility.

The kind of responsibility

you can't just put on and take off

like a suit of clothes.

Once you accept it, it becomes part of you.

Something you'll have to live with all your life.

Understand that?

Yes, sir, I understand that.

All right.

Thanks.

Well, don't look so fierce.

I only wanted to surprise you.

What is this anyhow?

Oh, it's... it's only something I carry around for luck.

A doll.

Seems to me a grown-up man should have grown-up things.

Miss Carter, I don't think your dad's

going to like you being out here.

My father?

Papa's looking at that prize bull

Mr. Cartwright brought back for him.

That's all he's thinking about.

What are you thinking about, Mr. Kidd?

Is it true you spent all those years in jail?

It's true.

What was it like?

If you got about ten years,

I'll give you a day-by-day account of it.

No wonder you were so awkward and shy.

I'll bet I was the first girl you were ever with.

That's right.

And I'll bet you've never held a girl in your arms.

Or kissed.

No, Miss Carter.

I've never kissed a girl.

I think I'd like to be the first.

Please.

Stay away from me.

Never had to throw myself at a man before.

I've always had to push them away.

Don't tell me you're afraid, Mr. Kidd.

No, I'm not afraid.

I promise not to struggle.

Too hard.

Why, you certainly don't know anything about women, do you?

I'm sorry. I had no right to do that.

Ann, Ann, what happened?

He grabbed me! He tore my blouse!

Why did you have to do it?

Why did you have to prove everybody else is right

and I'm wrong?

You just wouldn't let me help you, would you?

All right, I guess I am wrong.

And now I'm gonna take you back.

Just like that, huh?

Just like that.

Pack your things, we're gonna leave now.

Sure, friend.

Whatever you say.

♪♪

Welcome back.

How long have I been out?

About an hour.

Well, he hits hard.

Is he gone?

Yeah, he's gone.

Ann came out to the pasture.

She was pretty upset.

And did she tell you what happened?

Yeah.

Said it was all her fault.

She said it was her fault?

She admitted she'd been teasing him pretty badly.

Well, you know how she is.

You're always set to go off half-cocked

without hearing things out, ain't you, little brother?

I should've known better.

Too bad Danny isn't around to hear it.

Yeah. We're gonna have to find him, there's no telling

what he'll do now.

Pa, let me go after him. He'll listen to me.

Pa, you got to let me go.

I don't have to do anything.

And from here on in, we're in this thing together.

Is that understood?

We'll get an early start.

He doesn't know this country too well

so it shouldn't be too hard to find him.

Come on, let's get you to bed.

No, just... let me sit here for awhile.

You'll be all right?

Yeah.

♪♪

Mmm. What's for breakfast?

For you? Half a cow.

Ha! Been off of that diet a month.

Did you wake up Little Joe?

He wasn't in his room, Pa. I figured...

- Are the horses ready? - Yeah.

Let's go.

♪♪

You'll never make it.

Was I that easy to follow?

Just like a herd of cows.

I never had much practice.

What happens now?

We go back.

To the ranch or... It's not up to me now.

The family will have to decide.

But we know the truth about you and Ann.

You think that will make a difference?

Yeah, I think so.

Well... let's go find out.

I should've killed you back at the barn.

Well, why didn't you?

I let you live, I figured you let me live,

but it didn't work out that way.

Why don't you go ahead and use it, Danny?

Why don't you go ahead and kill me?

I don't know.

You want to know why?

'Cause you're not an animal.

You've had to live like an animal for a long time,

but you're not an animal.

Sure, you've made some mistakes.

You're gonna make a lot more mistakes.

But you've got friends to stick by you now...

if you just let them.

You mean proving myself to everybody I meet from now on?

I'd rather go back to the cage.

A man has to make his own decisions.

If you don't think we'll treat you fair...

keep right on going the way you were.

♪♪

Joseph, sometimes you make me very angry.

Sorry, Pa. I did what I figured I had to do.

Did you find him?

Yeah, I found him.

You can tell that by looking at his face.

Where you got him tied up, Joe?

I don't have him tied up. I let him go.

Well, that was pretty foolish, too, wasn't it?

- No, I don't think so. - How come?

Look, all his life he's had people

doing his thinking for him, telling him what to do,

it was exactly the same with us.

So I decided to let him make his decision himself.

He had one more year to prove himself

and then he'd be on his own.

But he couldn't even wait out that one year!

So, son, you're gonna ride back to the ranch

and we're gonna find him.

- Now, look, Pa... - Joseph!

I'm tired and I'm hungry,

and I don't want to hear another word about it.

Get going.

Hey, hey, Pa, look there.

Hey, Joe!

Wait a minute!

I knew it, Pa. I knew it.

It's kind of wonderful, Joseph.

No matter how old a man gets

he can always learn something new.

I offer no excuses, Mr. Cartwright, and...

I'll accept any decision you hand down.

Well, Danny, I noticed when you left,

your chores were only half done.

Try to get them finished before supper.

Well, Joe, uh...

I believe this belongs to you.

Me and my nag will race you

and that fleabag back to the ranch.

All right.

Ya-ha!

There go two very wealthy young men.

What do you mean, Pa?

Well, they have something

that all the money in the world can't buy.

It's called friendship.