Original subtitles

The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC.

Three, red. Odd.

Oh, it's been a fine, fine day, Lila.

I didn't expect anything like this when I rode into River Bend this morning.

You're not trying to tell me that you got to go already, are you?

Afraid so. Mr. Cartwright wants us back to the herd come dark.

That's two whole hours away.

17, black and odd.

We lost again! That's the hungriest roulette wheel I ever saw.

Our drovers!

Come on, Lupe. We need a drink.

Bets down, gentlemen.

Two beers, buddy.

All right, Shorty.

Going to have to be a roundup in here before we go anyplace.

- How about it, Lupe? - What?

One roll, low man buys the drinks.

Go ahead. I got to get lucky sometime, Shorty.

Seems more like a lifetime since we left Clearwater.

It all came back today, didn't it, Lila?

The barn dances, the band concerts.

Hey, why the tears?

Awful nice to say hello to an old friend.

Not so nice to say goodbye.

You still can't lie worth a hoot. Come on, what's the matter?

- Candy, do me a favor. - Sure.

Just ride on out of here. Do you hear me?

No. Not till you tell me.

All right, that'll do!

She's a real town, Mr. Cartwright.

I'll let you take care of the ones in the saloon.

I'll take care of these.

- How big of a herd are they running? - About 600 head.

All right, now.

All right, boys, let's find our horses and get back to the camp.

Come on. Let's move.

I thought these fellas might put some fresh money in the sheriff's till.

Now I'm sure of it.

Come along, fellas. Come on. Come on.

- Where's Candy? - He's inside talking to a girl.

He'll be out in a minute.

Mister, we run an open town here,

but we don't like trail hands coming in and trying to take it apart.

Well, I'm sorry about that. You're right, Sheriff.

- I'm taking them right back to camp. - Those are your men?

- Yes. - Then you're the one who pays the bill.

Now, there's no charge for scaring the citizens,

because they're getting used to it by now.

But that lamp and that water trough your men shot up will have to be paid for.

All right, Sheriff, you're right. How much?

I figure about $30.

$30? That lamp chimney should be worth about 25 cents.

As far as that trough is concerned,

a wooden plug and a hammer will fix up that leak.

$30 or somebody goes to jail.

Then with bail and cost, board and all that, it'll pile up fast.

- $30. - Come back any time.

I'm afraid your prices are a little high.

Then you better be sure you take all your men with you,

because any I find sleeping or drunk are going to jail.

- So, you've shed a few happy tears. - Well, yeah.

- Candy, come on. We're moving out. - I'm staying here, Joe.

No, Candy. Please.

If you want to do me a favor, ask your pa to give me my pay.

Here he comes, you ask him yourself.

Come on, boys. Let's move out. We've got a herd to move up the trail.

- If you two can tear yourselves... - Mr. Cartwright, I'm staying here.

Candy, we've got a sheriff who'd like us to move out.

I met an old friend, Lila Holden.

- She needs some help. - No. He's mistaken, Mr. Cartwright.

I don't need any help from anyone.

It's not that I'm leaving you short-handed. You got more drovers than you need.

That's not the point. I'm trying to tell you,

the sheriff would like us all to move out...

Our agreement when I hired on, Mr. Cartwright.

I can quit any time, you can send me down the road any time. Right?

True enough, but you just heard the young lady say she didn't need any help.

Mr. Cartwright, please, my pay.

- You want your pay here, right now? - That's right.

All right.

You didn't tell us you had any friends here in town.

I didn't know it till I rode in.

- You're sure? - Sure.

Thank you.

Good luck.

And, uh, don't get into any trouble. It's a rough town.

Miss Holden.

Take it easy.

A girl he hasn't seen in a long time, strange town.

I think Candy's asking for trouble.

- You mean, he ain't going with us? - I'll tell you about it later.

I must say, if she looked at me like she was looking at him

it would take about 40 horses to pull me out of here.

All right, let's go.

- Hey, Lupe. - Yeah.

That roulette wheel stole 19 of my dollars.

- How about you? - 12.

- Let's get it back. - How we going to do that?

- What you bet on? - Uh... Red.

Me, too.

Well, now we'll bet on the black.

Let's go get it.

Ya-hoo!

All right, at least tell me this much.

Do you want to stay in River Bend or do you want to leave?

Candy, I want to leave this town more than anything in the whole wide world.

Then why don't you? Stages come and go every day.

Odds. House wins again.

Oh! Money.

It must be money. How much do you need?

It would take at least $50.

32.

I'm 18 short.

No, Candy, I don't want to take your money.

Look, forget it. If you left right now you could catch up with Mr. Cartwright.

- Sssh! Ssh! - I'm sure he'd give you your job back.

There's a money stretcher over there. Now, you wait for me right here.

I'm going to make 50 or 60 out of this in a real hurry.

No, Candy, whatever you do, don't.

27, red, even. No winners.

Hey, Candy! How you doing?

- How's your luck? How's the luck? - Place your bets, gentlemen.

Black.

Come on!

Come on!

12, red and even. No winners.

- House wins again. - Listen... let's switch back to red.

No, black. Candy's betting black!

Oh, all right.

All bets down?

- This wheel's rigged. - Wait a minute, buddy.

- Right, boys. Let's get our money back. - Woo-hoo!

- Ha-ha! - Candy, I got him.

Hold on, Lupe.

Right, get up!

Lupe!

Oh, Sheriff! I didn't know.

Yah! Yah!

Lila, come here.

You spent the day talking to this one. Who is he?

Oh, Candy. Just another drover.

Not another one of your friends? You're not trying that again.

Oh, no, Claude. Of course not.

Get out of sight and stay out, till I tell you different.

All right, on your feet. Let's go.

Come on. Let's go. Come on, you too.

Kind of got a little delayed, Mr. Cartwright.

600 head of cattle to move and you got "delayed."

Yes, sir.

We was coming right back, but Lupe sort of got pinned down.

Well, not exactly pinned down.

I mean, knocked down.

It was purely terrible, Mr. Cartwright.

It was a crooked wheel and Candy... got annoyed.

I never seen the likes of it, Mr. Cartwright.

Candy and me and Lupe snatching at the money they stole,

with that crooked wheel.

And the sheriff pounding Candy.

And Candy... hammering him to a pulp!

And then knocking him around that saloon,

just hammering him and hammering him.

What happened to Candy?

The deputy knocked him over the head with his gun butt.

With his gun butt! How do you like that?

After all that pretty fighting.

- Morning. - Morning.

I understand you had a bit of trouble here.

You might say that. That's quite a herd of beef you're moving.

Horn tells me about 600 head.

You keep a pretty close check, mister.

Booker. Claude Booker. We like to know where we stand.

We don't set the tariff on problems like these

unless we know a man can pay for them.

You've got two of my men in jail here. What's the bail?

Well, bail's set at $100. Damage to town property is 200 more.

Bit steep, isn't it?

If you think so, go take a look at that saloon they wrecked.

Let them out.

Here.

This only pays for the one called Lupe. There's no bail set on the other one.

- What do you mean, Candy? - That's quite a name he has.

Maybe he won't be so sweet, time we get through with him.

- Get back to the herd. - Mr. Cartwright...

Get back to the herd!

Right.

Since when do you keep a man in jail without bail for breaking up a saloon?

Whenever I feel like it.

The law says I don't have to let anybody out on bail

unless I figure they'll be here for the trial.

That one doesn't look too dependable to me.

He's the type that'd skip town then I'd have to go after him.

He's better off where he is, until the trial judge gets here.

- All right. When will that be? - Two or three days.

- What are the charges? - The charges?

Mister, I got a list of them.

Destruction of property, assault with intent to kill,

interfering with an officer in the performance of his duty,

resisting arrest. That's only the beginning.

Each and every one of these charges can cost him $500 and six months in jail.

Your boy's going to be a lot older and a lot poorer

before he's out there busting up another saloon.

Can we see him?

Help yourself.

How you feeling?

Pretty good. How's the other fella?

- That's where we got a little problem. - Yeah, I know. I heard him.

We're trying to get you out of here, Candy,

but it's going to take longer than we figured.

Who wants out? All the comforts of home.

- Course, I'm going to miss old Lupe. - You're going to need a good lawyer.

Well, that's very kind of you, Mr. Cartwright.

But I don't need a lawyer.

I can get out of here all by myself.

Don't be ridiculous, with a sheriff like that out there.

Let's get one thing straight, Mr. Cartwright,

you don't owe me any favors, I'm not asking any.

I'm not giving any favors, I'm offering...

That's the way I want it.

All right, I'm not going to stand here arguing all day.

Come on, we've got a herd to move.

Pa's offering you a lawyer. Now, be smart, take him.

Joe, thanks, but I don't need it.

All right, suit yourself.

- Take it easy, buddy. - See you later, Hoss.

In case he wants to buy some stamps or send a telegram.

You take good care of your friends.

We'll try to do the same, unless he gets it into his head to break jail.

We got a way of handling that, too.

A long pine box and a short reading of the scriptures.

That's $2 for holding the horse overnight,

including feeding and use of straw.

- $2? - Yeah.

Well, uh... What if I ain't got it? I...

Back in the jail.

Jail? I just came... Mr. Cartwright!

Did you hear what he said he wants?

He wants $2 just for holding my animal overnight.

If you've got any objections, take it up with Sheriff Booker.

The regulations is posted in his office.

Prisoners are responsible for all costs in holding their property

while spending time in jail.

- $2. - Here.

Okay. Get your own horse. I'm gonna get myself a beer.

Lupe... get your own horse.

Thanks, Mr. Cartwright.

Mr. Cartwright?

You just bailed one of your drovers out of jail just now. Why not Candy?

We tried, but Sheriff Booker said no.

Then you just tell him to stay right where he is.

No matter what happens, he mustn't try to leave.

No, don't come any closer.

What do you mean, exactly?

Just... Just what I said.

Ma'am, Candy's locked up over there behind bars.

He ain't likely to go no place.

Well, now, you just do what I tell you, you hear?

Other men have been locked up safe in that jail and they've gotten killed.

I know.

I know.

Miss Holden!

Lupe, you get back to camp. Joe, you go with him.

Lupe, I'll catch you up. I got to get my horse down the saloon.

Right.

Hoss, you and I better find this Miss Holden, find out what this is all about.

Yeah. Don't you think we ought to split up?

Yeah. You go back to the alley. I'll look out here.

Sure.

Miss Holden!

- Please, let me go! - We will, Miss Holden.

First, we got to know more about those men who were killed in that jail.

But I've told you all I know.

Not quite, ma'am. You haven't told us who they were.

- Or why they were killed, or how. - But I've nothing more to say!

I've nothing to say to you, nothing whatsoever!

Claude, keep them away from me. Please, Claude.

What are you bothering the girl about?

Well, Candy stayed behind in town to be with Miss Holden.

We're just trying to find out how Candy was acting when he was in the saloon.

You run along, Lila.

How much trouble are you looking for, mister?

Pa.

That's Joe's.

- Hey! - What do you want?

What are you doing with my son's horse?

Storing it. $2 a day. Feed and straw.

- Read the regulations. - I asked you a question.

Sheriff!

Get your hands off him.

What are you holding that horse for, Clemmie?

Horn told me to.

He just put the owner in jail

for breaking up the mirror at the Sapphire Saloon.

Come on. Come on, boy. Come on.

One thing about this hotel,

the guests are in no shape to pick a room when they check in.

- How long have I been here? - Ten, 15 minutes.

After what happened to me, I thought you'd have sense to stay out of here.

Staying out was easy.

It was getting in that was the problem.

I can understand breaking out of jail.

- Why would you want to break in? - To keep you alive.

That whack on the head must have shook you up more than I thought.

It's not funny. I'm serious.

You know that girl you were talking to in the saloon?

- Lila Holden, what about her? - She told me to tell you to stay put.

Some other men tried to break out of here and they were killed.

She's afraid the same thing might happen to you.

$400?

400's just for the damages. That boy of yours ran up quite a bill.

A bar mirror that came all the way from San Francisco,

two tables, three chairs, seven bottles of whiskey.

Look, you can call it damages. I call it robbery.

Your privilege... so long as you pay.

Suppose I refuse to pay?

I'll impound 100 head of your beef.

- 400. - Now, about the bail...

Never mind about the bail. I want to talk to my son before we discuss bail.

Show Mr. Cartwright the prisoner.

Well...

Hi. I guess you're a little surprised to find me in here.

No. I'm not surprised at anything you do anymore, Joseph.

- You're kind of mad at me? - No. No, I'm not mad at you.

If you want to spend your time in jail here

rather than help take the herd up the trail, that's your business.

- Look, I never said... - I'm not going to bail you out.

Got your comeuppance, didn't you, boy?

- Hoss. - Yes, sir?

Better get back to camp and get the herd started.

Yes, sir. Pa, do you think that sheriff really thinks you're angry with Joe?

We'll have to wait and see.

Who've you talked to so far?

Well... Corker Samuels and Bud Prouty.

A pair of good men, yes, siree.

Corker's been mayor of River Bend going on ten years,

and there ain't a better feed and grain store anywhere than Bud Prouty's.

- What did they say about Booker? - Various things.

- What do you think about the man? - Oh, why ask me? I'm just a barber.

Well, for my experience, the barber shop

is where most of the influential people in the community congregate.

Oh! Now, that part's right.

The barber seems to know more about the community than even the mayor.

Well, I do know a little bit about what goes on in River Bend.

I'll bet you know a whole lot of what goes on.

I've shaved him since he got the star.

That's, uh, let's see, eight... nine years come April.

Now, he does his job. Nobody's going to argue about that.

He's never been caught stealing or drinking to excess.

He likes the ladies but that's not against the rules, since he ain't married.

He's had to kill four men in the line of duty.

Four men, huh? Gunfighters?

Two of them were. The others...

Sure nice talking to you, Mr. Cartwright and hearing about the ranch.

- You come back soon. - I sure will. There you are.

- Thank you, Mr. Cartwright. - Thank you.

- Bye. - Bye now.

- Hello, Sheriff. What'll you have? - A shave.

Some talker that one. He was here for an hour and I couldn't get a word in.

- Not one! - I'll bet.

Beef stew, fresh bread, and hot coffee. You're getting the same food I get.

You got my sympathy.

Yeah, mine, too. That stew even smells tough.

Keep on, I'll make it bread and water and forget the bread.

You saw it.

He forgot to turn the key. The door's unlocked.

No, he didn't forget. He wanted you to see it.

- I try to go and he kills me? - Mm-hm.

You keep saying that. The man wears a star.

He's been sheriff here a long time. Why does he want to commit murder?

Look, why don't we stop talking about it and I'll prove it?

With who? Me or you?

With me.

You proved it.

Now he's going to have to kill you, too.

You're asking my opinion as an attorney?

I'm also willing to pay for it.

Well, that immediately sets you apart from the other citizens of River Bend.

Just what do you want to know about Sheriff Booker?

Everything.

That's an order I can't begin to fill.

Before Booker, River Bend was a town torn to pieces

every time a herd came up the trail.

Riots, fist fights, shootings.

Booker said he'd stop all that. Also, that he'd work without salary.

He, uh... kept the fines?

- In lieu of wages. - License to steal.

That's been said, yes, but it is legal.

- Suppose there's no fighting? - That hasn't happened yet.

There seems to be no end to, uh... provocation.

Female provocation?

He put the drovers in jail, threw a heavy fine at them.

The trail bosses had to bail them out

or else they couldn't get their herds to the rail head.

- The man's a thief. - He stays within the law.

I understand that he shot and killed two unarmed men in jail.

Prisoners who were trying to escape. Sheriff Booker had to shoot.

- In self-defense. - And there were no witnesses?

- As a matter of record, no. - Why don't you get rid of him?

There are a lot of us who'd like to do that, but we keep telling ourselves

that he does maintain law and order,

that our streets are safe for our women folks, at no cost to us.

The truth is Sheriff Claude Booker is a cold-blooded killer.

We're afraid of him, Mr. Cartwright, and if you're wise, you will be, too.

Got a customer, Hank.

- Yeah? - A beer.

And some information.

What do you want to know?

Where can I find Miss Holden?

Never heard of her.

Lila Holden, she works in this saloon.

Wrong saloon. Probably wrong town.

Be smart, ride out. Do your asking someplace else.

- Hi, Tom. - Hi, Hank.

Lila Holden, Empire Hotel. Room 17.

I'll, uh... take that ten you offered the bartender.

Barbering business ain't been too good lately. I also do undertaking.

Wouldn't surprise me if I had some to do any time now.

All you did was have a drink with him and he quit his job to help you?

But I didn't need any help. I told him that. I told you that.

Look, Miss Holden, you came to that livery stable.

You begged us to tell Candy not to try to escape from Booker's jail. Why?

- Did I say that? - Yes, you did. Now, why?

Was it because two other men have been killed trying to get out of that jail?

You were afraid that Candy would be killed, too. Is that it?

Is that it?

Yes!

Yes, I was.

Miss Holden. Miss Holden, please.

Why were those two men killed? Why?

Because both of them were trying to help me escape from River Bend.

- From Booker. - And Candy was going to help you, too?

Miss Holden, is there any tie between you and Booker, I mean, legally?

Oh, no. Except a year ago when I came here, broke and hungry,

he was good to me, that's all.

But now he thinks that he owns me.

Twice I got on the stage and he came on and dragged me back.

Yet you work with him.

You entice people in so he can throw them into jail and fine them.

- But because I have to. - You have to?

I thought it was sort of a joke at first.

A very funny joke.

But as soon as I found out what he was up to I tried to stop.

- Did you? - But he wouldn't let me!

He wouldn't let you?

I think you'd better go.

I'll help you get away from this town, if you want to.

Oh, I want to more than anything in the whole wide world.

But you can't help me because Booker will find out about it

and he'll find some excuse to put you in jail and...

And give me a chance to escape and kill me when I try.

Yes.

Here's $300.

That should get you far enough away from Booker that he'll never find you.

I can't. Why... two men have been killed already.

Booker has been able to get away with murder twice.

He can't a third time. In fact, I know that he can't.

You take that. I'm sorry I badgered you before. You pack your things.

I'll be here tomorrow morning and I'll walk you to that stage.

Going someplace, Lila?

- Where is it? - I don't know what you mean.

The get-away money Cartwright gave you.

Oh, no! Please!

- I'll give you half of it. - No chance.

- 200? - No.

250? I'll need 50 for the stage.

You got yourself a deal. 50.

You won't tell Booker? You promise?

Yeah. Yeah, I promise.

I told you to be here at five o'clock. You're an hour late.

You know something, Booker, you really locked horns with a big one this time.

- Yeah, who's that? - Ben Cartwright.

I looked him up in the files of the Gazette.

- I didn't know you could read. - Go ahead and make jokes.

There's nobody in Nevada bigger than Ben Cartwright.

He can have the whole state right down on top of you.

You sound scared.

No. No, I'm not scared, Booker.

I'm just smart. I know when it's time to move on.

Horn, why don't you go over to the saloon and get drunk?

Put it on my bill. I'll take care of Cartwright.

Then you'll do it alone, Booker.

You haven't said it all yet. Come on, what's the rest of it?

- Cartwright's got Lila. - You're lying.

I'm not lying. I did what you told me. I followed him.

Took him a while to find her, but he found her.

She ain't going no place.

Booker, Ben Cartwright's going to walk her to the stage in the morning.

And if you try to stop him, he'll have the Attorney General here.

Good luck.

Oh, that five I borrowed, take it out of my pay,

and what's left, send it to the Fargo Hotel in Sacramento.

- You got it straight? - Yeah.

I heard a shot and I run out of the stable

and I seen Ben Cartwright duck into an alley.

That's good enough. Hank?

I seen someone running. I didn't get a very good look at him.

It might have been Ben Cartwright.

- It was Ben Cartwright. - I guess it was.

Sheriff Booker. What can I do for you?

- I want to see your gun. - Well, can you tell me why?

When I'm ready. Just give me your gun.

Fresh cleaned, but it took me ten minutes to find you.

In ten minutes, you could have cleaned it twice.

- You're under arrest. - On what charge?

First-degree murder.

You shot and killed Deputy Horn.

When was I supposed to have done that?

Don't try to be funny, Mr. Cartwright. You know when.

I was crossing the street when I heard a shot.

I saw you run out of my office.

I went straight into the office, nobody there but Horn, shot in the back.

You're sure it was me that you saw?

Positive. I wasn't the only one that saw you.

I got two other witnesses right here.

I seen you, Cartwright, plain as plain.

I'll swear to that.

I suppose you saw me, too?

I seen you.

Well, it looks like I'm going to need a good lawyer, doesn't it?

You're going to need more than that. I got to Horn while he was still alive.

With his last breath he said you shot him.

You have a dying man's last statement and three eyewitnesses.

I don't suppose it would do any good for me to say that I didn't do this,

that I'm not guilty?

Not a bit. Let's go.

Mind if I get my coat?

I'm sure you know the mayor of River Bend, Mr. Corker Samuels.

The councilor, Mr. Prouty.

Mr. Slatter.

Mr. Almont.

And, of course, you know Miss Holden.

- What are they doing here? - We've been talking about you, Sheriff.

These gentlemen know all about you.

I had to explain why you killed those two men you had locked up in your jail

because they tried to help Miss Holden get away from this town and from you.

I told them that I would help her get away,

and because of that you'd come after me and arrest me,

maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow morning,

for something I didn't do.

You're lying. He's just trying to get out of the murder of Horn.

- I got witnesses. - Of course you have.

It was a surprise, killing your deputy to get at me,

but I was expecting something.

And that's why we've been here together for the past two hours.

Waiting for you.

You... If you hadn't kept trying to get away, I wouldn't...

You're going to pay, too, same as me.

Miss Holden has agreed to turn state's evidence.

In appreciation, the court will, undoubtedly, treat her with leniency.

How about me? I could use some of that leniency.

- You ready to go? - Yeah.

We're all packed and ready to move out. Take it easy. We'll see you around, huh?

Yeah.

Going to leave now?

Yeah, yeah. We're all ready to move out.

Do you need another hand, Mr. Cartwright?

Yeah, I guess we could use another hand.

Well, mount up.

This has been a color production

of the NBC television network.