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Timber!

It sure is beautiful, isn't it?

Look at a view like this, it makes you feel a mite insignificant.

Yep. It's almost a shame to cut a logging road through there, ain't it?

Yeah. They sure aren't breaking any records doing it, are they?

What's been happening?

"Back to nature," he tells me.

"Get away from them smelly cows," he tells me.

"Cook up a mess of trout every night for supper," he tells me.

Why didn't you tell me you were wrestling boulders and four-foot stumps?

Well, look, I'm just as surprised about it as you are.

I only told you what Pa told me.

Hey, you know, if that... that silver dollar had come up heads,

you know where I'd be right now?

San Francisco. Barbary Coast.

Well, you're a lot better off right where you are.

The things you're rassling don't rassle back

and you don't have to buy 'em champagne.

Whoo.

The boss.

Whoo! How you doing, Pa?

All right. Things going a bit slow?

Yeah, we hit a lot more... more stumps than boulders.

Had to do a lot more blasting than we figured on.

Oh. You got enough warnings posted?

Yeah, I think so.

That fella didn't see 'em.

Get three or four more up around there, huh?

- Right away. - I'll help you.

Hey, Pa, we... we got an extra shovel here, Pa, if you wanna give me a hand.

Well, Joe, that's a mighty good-looking shovel.

You should be doing a lot of work with that one.

I got things to do up there.

Bye, Pa.

Who was that? One of your cowboys?

I don't know. He was too far away. I couldn't tell.

Easy, boy.

Easy, now. Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

Easy, boy.

- Honey. - Jace.

You ought to know better than to try to rope the Caballado.

I was just trying. You know what a stubborn woman I am.

No, I don't know about that. I just know you're a woman.

Got some bad news.

- They said no, didn't they? - They were nice and polite.

The bank has its obligations too, they said.

You know that ever since your father died,

they've wanted to take this ranch over.

Well, said they're gonna call the loan today.

The sheriff's on his way to post the property and take all the animals.

There'll be a court auction at Rimville tomorrow.

Caballado! Bring 'em back!

Caballado!

That Caballado was just having some fun.

They have to be sold? All of them?

Yes.

Don't you worry about the Caballado, honey.

See, nobody else knows what he can do, how your father and I trained him.

I know where I can get enough money to bid him back.

He's... He's a devil to rope, impossible to ride.

But he can gather us up enough wild horses

to have one of the biggest remudas in the territory.

The way you say it, I... I almost think it's possible.

With the Caballado, it is possible.

You and me, we can... we can get married,

have the ranch, everything.

I'll see you in Rimville tomorrow.

Jace. What about your uncle?

If he tries to stop me, I'll kill him.

Wonder if them clipper ship fellas appreciate the trouble we go to

to harvest this Ponderosa pine.

I don't know.

You reckon us cowboys appreciate all the effort it takes

to get our pants and clothes all the way from Boston to San Francisco?

- It's a good point. - Come on, will you, powder man?

We're waiting. I'll have this thing dug up before you have it blown up.

You boys take cover up there! We're gonna blow this stump!

- Give me a shovelful of dirt. - Giddyap. Go on.

Easy does it. I got a date tonight.

Fire in the hole!

Get back! Dynamite!

- He's alive. - Oh, yeah.

The others turn pale right off.

Hey, Hoss! Get down here with that wagon!

Gotta tie that off so we can slow up the bleeding before I take that stake out.

- Whoa. - Hey, Pa!

Pa, get out here!

We got a man hurt bad.

Didn't pay any attention to all those warning signs.

- Get his shoulder. Get his shoulder. - I got him.

Buy him back... Get away...

Now, just take it easy, now. Easy.

We're taking care of you.

What happened?

- I gotta get to Rimville. - Just lie back, now. You're hurt.

I don't care if I'm hurt. I...

- Who are you? - Ben Cartwright.

You're in a logging camp at the edge of the Ponderosa.

Now, your leg's hurt real bad, so lie back, would you? Come on.

I've got to get to Rimville before noon tomorrow.

Buddy, you might as well make up your mind,

you ain't gonna be riding with that leg for some time.

There's a horse auction over there tomorrow.

There's a black, the only one in the string, and I got to have him.

This leg's more important than any horse I know of.

Where's my kick? I have money.

Here. Take it easy.

Mr. Cartwright.

I don't have any blasting to do for a couple of days.

I'd be delighted to go to Rimville and take care of it for him.

Rimville is not just over the next hill. It's a long ride overnight.

Well, you know, Pa, I... I could go along with Candy, keep an eye on him.

Well, he could keep an eye on me too.

First time you've volunteered for anything in over a month.

Well, that's the reason I'm doing it. I... I feel kind of guilty about...

Well, I got plenty to do here.

There's 500 dollars in there.

500 dollars for one horse?

What's he made of, pure gold?

I got to have that horse.

He's the only black in the string and I gotta have him.

Don't worry, we'll get him for you. You just take care of that leg.

Sorry you got into this mess,

but that land was posted for blasting, Mr. Fredericks.

How'd you know my name?

Looked in your wallet. Wanted to notify your family.

I got no family, but thanks for trying.

All right, folks, gather round. Auction's about to begin.

Gather round.

All righty, you all, it's high noon.

We gotta get this selection of horseflesh bought and paid for.

Bring out the first one.

All righty, here we are. May not be too broke, but a worker, a good animal.

What do I hear for a starter?

Hear 20? Hear 25?

Do I hear 30? 30, anybody?

Good workhorse. Can't go wrong on this one.

Good workhorse. Do I hear 30?

Looks like we made it just in time.

Mm-hm. I'll take care of the horses.

Good enough.

Good animal here. You're missing a chance.

I got 30. I got 30. Do I hear 35? 35.

35, going once, twice, three times,

and sold to the bowlegged cowboy for 35 dollars.

Tommy, let's get that good-looking black one in here.

You can see for yourself how full of spirits he is.

You mean halter-shy, don't you, Asa?

A good animal. Fine animal for the man that can tame him.

I like him as is, five dollars' worth.

As is, 50 dollars.

There's a man that knows horseflesh and knows what he wants.

50 dollars. Looking for 100.100?

You got it.

150.

Exactly 200 dollars and no cents.

If he's worth two hundred, he's worth three. I hear three, don't I?

You just heard it. 300.

You just bought yourself a horse, friend.

I got 300. Do I hear more? 350?

Going once, twice, three times, and sold for 300.

Pay the tally and collect your bill of sale.

300.

I'll try to get a halter on him.

Why anybody wants to buy him, I'll never know.

Good luck.

I'll try to get a rope on him.

Stay here.

Now, that next horse, let's see...

The next animal is one you can lasso.

Here you go.

Bartender, when does it liven up around here?

Mister, this here's Rimville.

Yeah, they call it Rimville because it's right on the edge of nothing.

That place I saw coming in, that hotel, is that the only place to stay?

Across the street there.

That's what I was afraid of.

Sometimes things liven up about sundown.

Whee!

Can hardly wait.

Flat.

Rimville.

If things pick up any more, I just don't think I'm gonna be able to stand it.

We'll rest up from all the excitement over at the hotel.

You know, I'll bet the chambermaid'll be 72.

As a matter of fact, he is.

400. Hundred-dollar profit.

I'll take the bill of sale for the black.

Well, that's sure a nice profit, mister, but, sorry, I'm not interested.

All right. Double your profit.

I'm Gabriel Bingham, and I want that horse.

I don't remember you inviting anybody over here, Joe.

- Did you invite anyone over here? - No, I didn't invite anybody.

- Did you invite somebody? - I didn't invite anyone over here.

Hey, look, I'm sorry, Mr... Mr. Bingham,

but I can't sell the horse, it's not mine to sell.

See, it belongs to a fella who's in bed hurt, and to hear him talk,

that's the greatest animal in the world, so... sorry.

- Hey, cowboy, do you know who that was? - Hmm?

Oh, yeah, that's Gabriel Bingham. He likes black horses.

I got a strange feeling our exciting night in Rimville

has just come and gone.

Joe, give me another look at that bill of sale.

Well, it's just a bill of sale.

They got me curious. I must have missed something when I looked at that horse.

No, I counted four legs and a head.

Hey, bartender, what do we owe you for the... the champagne,

the pheasant under glass and the dancing girl?

- Huh? - The bill, please.

Oh, oh, uh... uh...

- Two dollars and six bits. - Mm-hm.

I'm going back over to the stable and take another look at that horse.

All righty.

I'll be up in the room figuring out exciting stories to tell brother Hoss

when we get back.

- You say that was two and six bits? - That's right.

Hey... buy a beer for the lady.

Hold it right there.

Put that horse right back where you found him.

You hold it right there, mister. Drop your gun.

Go ahead.

Get your hands up and turn around real slow.

All right, boys. Get the...

I'm all right.

Get the horse out of here.

Come in and close the door.

Uh...

Ma'am, I... I think maybe you have the wrong room.

Just come in and close the door.

You can't expect me to believe you.

I know Jace wouldn't let anybody buy that horse for him.

Look, lady, if you would just try telling me

half as much as I'm trying to tell you, I think we'd get along fine.

I explained to you, he had no choice. He gave us 500 dollars to buy a horse.

We spent 300 dollars and I've got 200 dollars left over.

Now I know you're lying. Jace never had 500 dollars in his whole life.

What's the use?

Why don't you just admit you work for Bingham?

Work... Lady, I wouldn't work for Bingham if...

What the heck happened to you?

- You said he was 70. - I was wrong again. What happened?

Well, about 35 very bad men

hit me on the head and took that black away from me.

- Who's your friend? - She hasn't said.

She's been too busy calling me a liar. Come on, sit down.

- What are you lying about? - I'm not lying. She just thinks I am.

She's got an idea we bought that horse for Bingham.

Bingham? Well, now, that's gonna be very easy to straighten out.

You give me a couple of minutes to get cleaned up,

the night's young, there's wine and music next door, with a lady...

Shut up.

- She's not very friendly, is she? - Mm-hm.

Show her the bill of sale, will you?

- They got that too. - They got that. That figures.

Do you have any idea where they went?

I didn't notice. I was taking a nap.

But I did get a good look at one of 'em.

It was that ramrod that was bidding against us at the auction,

the one with the scar on his face.

His name is Rio.

- He's Bingham's foreman. - Oh. Bingham's foreman.

So Bingham's foreman steals a horse from us that we paid 300 dollars for.

Now, you still think we're working for Bingham,

or are you beginning to believe what I've been telling you?

I guess I was wrong.

Please, take me to see Jace right away. It's very important.

I'm sorry to say this, but you're gonna have to go without me.

- I'm gonna be busy. - Yeah, now, hold on.

You're going where I think you're going, you need help.

The lady needs an escort.

I'll get that horse.

Please, take me to see Jace right now.

All right, first thing in the morning. If you'll do me one little favor.

- What? - Put the gun away.

Morning. Where can I find the sheriff?

That depends what you wanna see him for.

Well, I'm gonna go try to catch a horse thief.

Thought he might wanna come along.

This stole horse, that wouldn't be the black

you and your friend bought at the auction yesterday, would it?

- Could be. - That's too bad.

As I recollect, Mr. Bingham offered you and your friend a fair price

for that piece of horseflesh.

Could be.

But that doesn't give him license to send his foreman to steal it.

Son, you take my advice.

Don't accuse Mr. Bingham of anything you can't prove beyond a shadow.

Don't need advice, just directions.

Fair enough. No advice.

Where's the sheriff?

You know something? Your beer's lousy too.

Took you long enough to get him here.

Well, that ain't just a horse, Bingham. He's half horse and half pure devil.

- Maybe. - I took a few punches getting him too.

But you aren't done yet. I told you to bring in Jace too.

How am I gonna do that? I don't know where to look for him.

And you call yourself smart.

Took me one minute with the hotel clerk

to find out it was Joe Cartwright bid in that horse.

Cartwright, huh?

And Cartwright himself said he bought him for a man who was hurt and in bed.

Well, the Cartwrights got that logging camp up near Sawtooth.

So, start there. But find him, Rio, and bring him in.

How do you want him, Mr. Bingham? Dead or alive?

Yeah.

Dead or alive.

Go ahead, draw.

No?

Too bad.

Killing you here'd save the time and trouble of hanging you.

For what? For coming after a horse that I bought and paid for?

You got a bill of sale?

- Walk. - Where?

Where I can keep an eye on you till the law gets here.

Sure wish you'd go for that gun.

Man kills a horse thief, he's doing the world a favor.

Well, he's hurt and in bed, so if he's here, he'll be in the bunkhouse.

Get back in those saddles and ride, while you still can!

Hold your fire, Jace.

We'll leave.

Hey, what's going on here?

Hah! How! Hah!

Kathy!

- Over here. - Jace.

Now, Jace, your troubles are your own

until they involve the Ponderosa,

and then all of a sudden they're my troubles.

I'm sorry.

One of my men goes off looking for a stolen horse and doesn't come back.

Then three gunmen shoot up my logging camp.

They were trying to kill Jace.

Yes, dear, that's what I mean by becoming involved.

But one of those gunmen was killed right out the door here,

and one of my men was wounded.

Now, I'm gonna have to explain that to the law.

Before I can, you're gonna have to explain it to me.

It started six years ago. Pa broke his hip.

He was bedridden after that.

My uncle, Gabe Bingham, ran the ranch.

He was supposed to teach me how to run it,

but all I was ever allowed to do was clean the stables and dig postholes.

I'm a fair hand with horses.

So I took to the high country, chasing the wild ones.

I met Kathy...

and her father, and we decided to throw in together

and build a horse ranch.

Needed money to get started. I went to Pa.

He said chasing wild horses was like chasing the rainbows.

Well, a lot of men feel that way.

Then Kathy's father and I started to train...

A black Caballado.

How did you know?

Well, Jace here was a little feverish and he did a bit of talking.

A horse that can round up other horses is worth a lot of money.

This is the best one you ever saw.

Anyway, to make it short, Pa died.

His will said that I didn't get the ranch until I was married,

settled down, in a business of my own making money.

That's why I needed the Caballado. That's why Bingham stole him.

Tell him the rest.

If anything happens to me, Bingham gets the ranch.

Mmm.

Jace... you gave Joe 500 dollars, huh?

Where'd you get it?

Out of the ranch safe. Back wages Bingham wouldn't give me.

He'll say I stole it.

It's Jace's money. He earned it.

You don't believe me.

Well, son, it's not a question of believing or not believing.

I think I'd like to go over and talk to Bingham.

I'll ride over there with the boys.

No, no, no. You're staying right here. You're in no condition to ride anywhere.

Kathy, you stay here with him.

You stay here till your leg's better.

Thought you'd like some...

Jace, what are you doing out of bed?

Wasted too much time already. I'm all right.

Darling, you're just not well enough yet.

I'm going, Kathy.

I got to be there when Bingham talks to Cartwright.

I want my own rein on that Caballado.

Hand me my gun, please.

I'll need my horse.

I'll saddle mine up too.

Kathy.

- Fancy place, ain't it? - Yeah.

My name's Cartwright. I'm looking for Mr. Bingham, please.

Well, Mr. Cartwright, I've always wanted to meet you.

- Mr. Bingham. - Won't you come in?

Well, we should have met long before this, Cartwright.

Don't know why we didn't. Sit down.

What do the three Cartwrights prefer with their branch water?

I always think men can look at things better through a glass.

Well, thank you, Mr. Bingham, but I suppose your men told you

what happened over at our logging camp.

No. Well, I didn't send anybody over there.

I don't know what this is all about.

Well, let me explain it to you.

You tried to buy a horse from me for 600 dollars. I wouldn't sell him.

So you sent your man Rio to steal him.

Now, you watch who you're calling a thief, boy.

I saw you weren't going to sell, so I passed.

Rio? Yeah, he's a thief.

But he doesn't work for me anymore. I caught him stealing.

Threw him off the place more than a month ago.

How come that he and two of his friends

came over to try to get Jace Fredericks out of our bunkhouse?

Jace? Oh, he's staying with you?

Yes, he is.

That loco nephew of mine.

What did he tell you? That I don't treat him right?

That I'm trying to steal this ranch from him?

First thing he tells everybody.

Did he mention that I took hold of this ranch when his pa was crippled,

that I worked freeze and drought, flood and dust,

and built it to where it is today?

- Well, yes, he said you ran it. - Without his help.

Oh, but he wouldn't mention that.

That boy never did an honest lick of work from the day his pa was hurt.

He run off every chance he got.

And he's a thief too, and I can prove it.

Sheriff.

Yes, sir.

Why did I ask you to ride over, Sheriff?

Well, to... to investigate a robbery.

What did you find?

Oh, it's a pretty bald-face fact

that Mr. Bingham's nephew, Jace Fredericks,

stole 500 dollars out of the ranch strongbox.

Who told you it was Jace Fredericks stole the money?

Well, uh...

Let me ask you a question.

How much did Jace give you to buy that black?

500 dollars.

There you are. I'm having that drink. Invitation's still open.

Mr. Bingham, how do you know it was Jace that gave Joe that 500 dollars?

- The Caballado's not here. - Yes, he is, someplace. Come on.

- You stay here. - You're hurt, Jace.

- Let me come with you. - Stay here.

Caballado.

Caballado.

Caballado.

Somebody shooting rats around the barn.

Now, as I was trying to explain...

We can't let them leave this ranch.

We? Now, now, now, here, just a minute.

I... I don't mind telling a lie or two, but killing, that's...

Come on.

Bingham!

Touch that rifle, I'll kill you!

Whoa, whoa.

I sure understand you a whole lot better now, Bingham.

Come on, let's go.

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