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♪♪

Ah.

Mmm.

Boy, you know, it got so hot on that trail,

I thought we were gonna bring

the cattle here already barbecued.

Hey, brother, how'd you make out?

Oh, pretty good.

$5,000.

Hey, $5,000.

Pa was right when he said

the people around here were hungry for meat.

Little celebration money.

- Bartender, two more of the same. - Thanks.

I don't know what I'm gonna celebrate in this town.

Hey, bartender, what do you do in this town for celebrating

besides getting heat rash and sunstroke, huh?

Well, we got a big trial starting up tomorrow.

Folks'll be coming in for miles around.

Trial... what's it all about?

Obediah Johnson.

He owns the Lucky Seven Mine with a fella name of Jeb Early...

Uh, the late Jeb Early, that is.

Seems Obediah up and kilt his wife and his, his partner both.

Claimed the partnership was going too far.

Hmm, I'd kind of like to see that trial.

How about you, Adam?

No, I think I'll just get away for a few days.

No people, no cattle, just peace and quiet.

Yeah, what do you have in mind?

Oh, I think I'll cut east over the mountains,

do a little hunting, work my way over to Pyramid Lake,

and, uh, get in a little fishing heading home.

Come on, you must be out of your mind.

Tha-That country you're going to go through is ten times as tough

where we just brought that cattle through.

What's the matter, you can't take it anymore?

No.

I'll get some supplies, get a nice, hot bath,

and then head on out.

You ready?

I'll go with you as far as the bath is concerned,

but jumping out of the frying pan into the fire

isn't my idea of a rest cure.

I think I'll just hang around town for a while

and take it easy.

Ah.

Tell you what I'll do.

I'll meet you in three days up at Signal Rock.

All right, Signal Rock in three days.

Now let's get that hot bath.

All righty.

Thanks a lot, bartender.

Hey, friend, where can a fella get a bath in this town?

Right over there.

Well, thank you.

The dark-haired fella... He's carrying $5,000.

A live one, huh?

But not for long.

Oh, boy.

Adam, I can't, for the life of me, figure out why you want

to wander around in the wilderness

when you can stay here in town for a couple of days

and just relax and take it easy.

Besides, we can take in that trial together.

Nah, the cattle buyer told me about the case.

Man confessed, so he'll hang.

I don't want to stay around for that.

How can you be so sure he's going to hang?

Simple logic... He's guilty, he'll hang.

It's the law.

Ah, does everything have to be so logical?

No, not if you don't want to use your brains.

Look, Joe, a man's responsible for what he does.

If he loses control of himself, he has to be punished for it.

That's the way it is.

Yeah, just wondering if you'd feel that way

if you were in Obediah's shoes.

Well, I could never be in Obediah's shoes

because nobody could ever drive me to murder...

With one exception.

Oh, yeah, who's that?

You.

What?!

Doggone you, Adam, I'm gonna...

Oh, no, you're not 'cause I'm leaving, ha.

See you at Signal Rock in three days,

and be on time for a change.

Signal Rock in three days.

♪♪

Now, hold it right there, mister.

Just don't move.

Drop your gun belt... easy-like.

Didn't I see you in East Gate?

Yeah, you did.

Been a long trail.

You fellas sure took your time about making your move.

In our line of work we like privacy.

You know what we want.

Yeah, I'm intuitive.

Yeah, just toss it down here.

And no tricks, huh?

That's it.

Now get down off that horse.

You got your money.

Climb down!

We're gonna let you walk out of here.

I'll never make it without food and water.

Nobody would.

Well, now, I feel real sorry for him.

Don't you, Frank?

Yeah, Jim, I'm all shook up.

I don't want your pity, I just want a chance.

We're giving you a chance.

We ain't killing you.

Very funny.

Ain't it?

Ain't it?

♪♪

♪♪

Hey, hey.

♪♪

May I help you?

Uh... some water.

Oh, excuse me, uh...

I couldn't believe my eyes at first,

seeing a man alone out here on foot in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, my name is Kane... Peter Kane.

Uh, Cartwright.

If you don't mind my asking, Mr. Cartwright,

uh, just where are you headed?

Back... I hope eventually...

Back home, Ponderosa.

The great Ponderosa.

Oh, yes, I've heard of it.

As, indeed, who hasn't?

But you'll need food and rest.

Won't you accept my humble hospitality?

There's nothing, nothing humble

about hospitality out here, Mr. Kane.

Quite true, Mr. Cartwright.

Ah.

Well, how much money did the men take?

$5,000, but that's not what rankles me.

Oh?

$5,000 is a considerable sum of money,

but I've been given to understand

that the, uh, Ponderosa is the equivalent of a ancient empire.

Well, that empire, Mr. Kane,

represents a lot of plain hard work.

Well, I'm sure of that, but I'm a man that's used to hard work.

Mr. Cartwright, 20 years ago I came out here from the east

to stake my claim.

At that time I sold all my earthly possessions

for the total sum of... $3,000.

Well, don't get me wrong, Mr. Kane.

I'm not making light of the $5,000.

Well, I'm sure of that,

but you said that something else rankles you.

Yeah, being left out here to die,

and I suppose I would have if I hadn't stumbled into you.

Well, I'm glad that you did for your sake and for mine.

It gets lonely out here with only Epicene to talk to.

Epicene?

That's my mule.

Oh, yeah.

Mr. Kane, I wonder if I might, uh, borrow your mule

and, uh, enough supplies to get back to civilization.

I'd see that they were returned to you.

What's your hurry?

I mean, why don't you stay around a few days and rest?

Well, I, uh, feel pretty good now.

Besides, I'm overdue to meet my kid brother at Signal Rocks.

Signal Rocks?

Well, that's better than 30 or 40 miles south of here.

Yeah. Good long haul on foot.

Besides, I want to catch the men that left me out here.

And when you catch them, what are you going to do,

kill 'em?

No.

I'll let the law take care of 'em.

You're a remarkable man, Mr. Cartwright,

to be content with mere legal revenge.

I mean, after all, they left you out here to die.

Well, it's just a civilized process.

Mr. Cartwright, I found in my life

that most men aren't particularly civilized.

In fact, I find that men can be driven to do most anything.

Oh, yeah... but I'm not one of 'em.

Are you sure, Mr. Cartwright?

Who was it that said, uh, "Know thyself?"

Exactly.

Here, let me show you something.

You know what this is?

Gold?

Yes, the gold I've been looking for for the past 20 years.

Well, you're a lucky man, Mr. Kane.

Yes, indeed. So now you understand why

I can't let you have my mule.

'Cause I'll need her to help me work the claim.

Well, I'll only need the mule for a few days.

Well, now that I'm so close to the main vein, that, uh,

you know, a few days could seem like an eternity to me.

Oh.

Mr. Cartwright, I'll make you a bargain.

Bargain?

Yes. If you stay here

and help me work the claim for three days,

I'll let you take the mule

and the supplies you need to meet your brother.

And the two men... They can wait, too.

And if everything goes like I hope it will,

I might even join you.

What do you say, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, it's your mule, your food and your water.

And you did save my life.

- It's a deal. - Good.

It'll be a pleasure to talk to a civilized man for a change.

If you'll come with me, I'll show you

what progress I've made towards the vein.

Oh, I see you've made considerable progress.

Oh, but you're gonna need a lot more shoring

before you get much deeper in there.

Oh, I see you know about mining, also, Mr. Cartwright.

Well, I picked up a little theory in college,

and a lot more practical experience in Virginia City.

Have you ever done any blasting?

Well, off and on.

But always with respect.

Yes.

Well, time's a wasting.

Um, I assume you also have knowledge

of the star drill and hammer.

Right.

Hey, Adam!

Yo, Adam!

Adam!

Well, what do you know?

Big brother says, be here on time,

we get here, and he's nowhere in sight.

Well, Cochise, we're just gonna have to make camp

and wait a while.

He doesn't show up soon, we just might not tell him

Obediah got off with only five years.

Whoa.

I'm not gonna need any more of the powder

until we get that new shoring in.

We have to hurry, Mr. Cartwright.

We only have two of our three days left.

Yeah, but you go putting any more charges in there

before we get the shoring in,

that whole thing's just gonna collapse.

Well, I'd like to hit that vein before you leave.

Yeah, yeah. So would I.

And it looks to me like that's about the only way

you're gonna give me any rest.

Once more into the breach.

Come on.

Can you imagine that?

"Be on time," he says,

and here he is already a day late.

Well, Cochise, we can...

we can either sit around this rock pile,

or we can start out looking for him.

What do you think we ought to do?

Oh. That's right. You don't talk

before you had your morning coffee.

There you go.

Careful. It's hot! It's hot!

All right, that's enough.

Let's go.

Come on. I think we better start looking for him.

What are you doing out here?

Just getting a breath of fresh air before...

before I keel over in that oven.

Well, don't take all day about it.

Mr. Kane, for the past two days,

you have worked me

from sunup to sundown without a break.

And any time I straighten up for one second,

you are breathing down my neck,

complaining about not wasting time.

I thought you were used to hard work, Mr. Cartwright.

Isn't that what you told me built the Ponderosa?

Well, it doesn't look too good.

Adam must be in real trouble.

Better get to a nearest town.

Get some supplies while we can.

Whoa there.

Whoa.

Whoa.

Here.

Those sacks are only half full.

Well, I don't want to work the animal to death.

Since when have you been so concerned

about animals, Mr. Cartwright?

Look, Mr. Kane, a dead mule isn't going

to get your gold or us out of here.

Get back to work.

No, thanks, Mr. Kane.

My three days are up as of right now.

Cartwright!

I give the orders around here.

Now get back to work.

We made a bargain, Mr. Kane, and we're gonna keep it.

The only bargain you're gonna keep

is to work that mine till I strike it.

That mine isn't gonna be good for anything but a grave.

Now, we don't have enough food and water

to stay here and get out alive.

We got to leave right now. Come on. Hyah!

Do you know what you've done?

How do we get out of here now?

We don't until I hit that vein.

Without the mule?

There's you, Mr. Cartwright.

Me?

Yes, you.

And if I refuse to be your pack animal?

You won't refuse.

No work, no water.

I'm giving you a chance to live.

And after all, every animal's first instinct is to survive.

Well, Hoss, how's it going?

- Oh, hi, Pa. - Yeah?

Yeah, I'm gonna have this done in a minute.

Want a drink?

Yeah. Don't mind if I do.

Hey, uh, I found a, uh, hole

in that fence in about east range.

You'd better get to that as soon as you can.

Yeah. Pa, when's the rest

of the Cartwright family gonna get home?

Not that I'm complaining, you understand,

but it seems to me like I'm doing the work

for all three of us while they're gone.

Well, uh, Hoss, that just shows you

how much confidence I got in you.

Pa, that's flattering, but I'm afraid

that flattery is gonna get at my back

before it goes to my head.

Well, they ought to be back any day now.

Good. I'll see to it they get a load

of that flattery when they get here.

Now, Hoss, they ain't had it so easy.

Yeah, pretty rough country up there.

I'll trade with them.

I'll trade.

We can stop this foolish cat-and-mouse game

if you give me your word you won't try to escape.

That way maybe both of us can relax some.

There's today's rations.

You can take half and serve me the rest.

♪♪

Not too close.

Not there.

Over there. In the sun.

♪♪

So you've come down another notch as a civilized man, huh?

Eating with your fingers like an animal.

Who's an animal?

Don't you judge me.

I still have that right.

"Judge not, lest ye be judged."

Get back to work.

Time's running out.

Go on!

I'm afraid you're right, son.

That horse has got a split hoof.

Yeah.

Ain't gonna be able to ride him for awhile.

That's right. But you're welcome to stay here if you want.

No thanks, I gotta push on. You got a horse I can use?

Yeah.

But, son, I'd advise you to stay here tonight.

'Cause the next town, Salt Flats,

is a mighty long haul from here.

I'm not going to Salt Flats, I'm heading south.

Oh, Mister, there ain't nothing out there

but sand, and mountains, and dry bones.

What about that horse you said I could use?

All right.

Okay, I'll get it.

Giving you a little rest.

Well, here he is, Mister.

Real fine animal.

Where'd you get this horse?

Why? Is something wrong with him?

That's my brother's horse.

Well now, look, Mister,

I don't know anything about your brother.

I asked you where you got the horse.

I, I...

bought him from a couple of fellas.

You got a bill of sale?

Yeah.

Where is it?

Back in there.

Let's get it.

Sure.

There it is.

All legal and proper.

All right. Who's this Jim Gann?

Well, a stranger to me.

All I know is he wanted to sell a horse.

What about the other fella? You know his name?

Seem to recollect that Gann called him, uh...

Frank.

You have any idea at all where they were headed?

Yeah, matter of fact I do.

They mentioned that they was going onto, uh,

Salt Flats.

Thanks.

Looks like I'm going to Salt Flats after all.

Cartwright.

For shirking your duties,

I'm cutting your food and water ration in half.

As of today.

Sheriff.

Oh... You gave me kind of a start.

I wasn't expecting anybody quite so early this morning.

Well, my name's Joe Cartwright, and I'm looking for two men.

Mm-hmm.

A Jim Gann and a Frank something or other.

Frank Preston?

That could be it. They in town?

Well, what do you want them for?

I think they may have killed my brother.

Hmm.

Think you're a little bit late...

for that.

What do you mean?

Well, they tried to shoot up the town last night,

including some of our good citizens.

And as a result, I've got em' stretched out

in the back room there, both cold dead.

Where's your telegraph office?

Oh, just a couple doors west.

Thank you.

Uh, Cartwright.

Anything I can help you with?

No.

I'm gonna wire my family.

Try to find my brother.

♪♪

♪♪

Why don't you use the rifle, Cartwright?

Not ready to kill yet, huh?

I don't want to kill ya, Kane, I just wanna get away from ya.

You can't escape me, Cartwright.

Or yourself.

Drop it right there.

Not there. On the stool!

Clever.

I use these ropes to hobble my mule.

They'll do fine for you.

Unfortunately, I'll have to tie you up every night now.

You have proven yourself unworthy of trust.

Therefore, you must be treated like an animal.

Tie your feet securely; I'll check it.

Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?

I'm not gonna kill you, Cartwright.

I have other plans.

Now, put your hands around that post.

Who's the animal now, huh?

You're pretty good at judging others, aren't you, Cartwright?

Well, I claim that same privilege for myself.

In spite of your advantages of being a Cartwright,

I'm as good a man as you.

In fact, I'm gonna prove that I'm a better man.

Sand.

We ran out of the last of the water and food today.

So, now the real test begins.

Are you still so sure of yourself, Mr. Cartwright?

Don't you want to kill me yet?

Adam!

Adam!

Adam!

Adam!

Adam!

Adam!

♪♪

Adam's.

Yeah.

Tracks show three horses.

One man on foot.

Tracks peter out there by the rocks.

We'll have to spread out,

cover every direction.

Pa, you need to get some rest, Pa.

You ain't had no sleep in three days.

Not till we find him.

Not until we find him.

Hoss, you go around by these rocks.

Joe, you go in that direction.

I'm following this trail.

Yes, sir.

Whoa.

Now, that's it, Kane.

Now let's see what you got in that stinking pit.

♪♪

♪♪

That's all there is, Kane.

Just rocks.

There's no vein in there.

I know, Cartwright.

I've known for some time.

Then why?

Why all this?

When I realized that this wouldn't be my strike either,

just another failure like all the rest,

I knew that my time was up.

I'd run out of everything.

I never had the breaks like you, Cartwright.

You wouldn't know what to do with them if you had them.

You still think you're a better man than I am, don't you.

That's right.

Well, I'm gonna prove it's the other way around.

I claim that you can be driven to kill

like anyone else.

I'm gonna give you a fair chance to kill

or be killed.

There was... there was food and water all this time, huh?

All part of the plan.

There's just enough there

to get one of us out of here alive.

This gun... is loaded.

Now, I'm gonna put it between you and me,

and we'll both go for it.

On the count of five.

No...

One, two...

No more games!

No more games.

No guns.

No games.

Kill me. Kill me!

I... Either way, I win.

Cartwright.

Cartwright!

Cartwright.

You're leaving me here to die

just like those two animals left you.

I win.

♪♪

Pa.

You can't go on, Pa.

You can't do it.

We're gonna have to face it, Pa, I mean...

We're not gonna find Adam.

Pa, it's been two weeks since he left East Gate.

Yeah, I... I suppose you're right.

All right, let's... let's go on back home.

Adam!

Adam!

Adam...

Adam.

Adam... Adam.

- Adam! - Adam.

Adam, Adam, Adam.

There was no gold.

There was no... No more... Adam!

Oh, Pa.

He was dragging a dead man, Pa.

He's been through some kind of hell.

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