Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 10, Episode 20 - The Clarion - full transcript

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- Hey, Jim.
- Hi, Hoss. How you doin'?

Well?

Well, those horses are even better than
you promised. They'll bring a top price.

There's a shortage of good
saddle stock around here.

That's good. Nice to know
we're gonna make a profit.

If it's all right with you, we'll have
the auction day after tomorrow.

That'll give me time to
get the handbills printed.

Oh, I'll take care
of the handbills.

Yeah, Pa's got a good friend here
in town that's in the printing business.

- All right, day after tomorrow, then.
- All right, Jim.



See you, Jim.

Well, how soon
can we get started?

Well, I thought we could get over
to the hotel and get cleaned up,

and have ourselves a meal that
hasn't been cooked over a campfire.

Yeah, well, look, we've got
three hours of daylight left.

If we started right away, we could
get to the Ponderosa by Friday,

we'd start moving that herd.

On Monday, right after
the Saturday night dance.

- He read our minds.
- Yeah, he's getting pretty good at it.

'Course, he's had
a lot of practice.

- What about it?
- Oh, sure, go ahead.

Good deal. Hey, and say hello to
the Widow Manning for me, will you?

- What do you want?
- I asked you a question the other day.

We just stopped by
to get your answer.



I told you then and I'll tell
you now, the answer is no.

The lady says she
hasn't changed her mind.

You had a whole
week to think about it.

I was sure you'd be
seeing the light by now.

Now, she's told you she ain't changed
her mind. Why don't you let her alone?

Hey...

I wouldn't. You might get hurt.

Mrs. Manning.

Ben. Ben Cartwright. What
are you doing in Gunlock?

Well, I came here to mix a
little business with pleasure.

First of all to say
hello to an old friend,

and then to order
some handbills.

The lady's busy. Why don't you
take a walk and come back later?

Ruth, what's going on?

Hey!

- Thank you, Doctor.
- Not at all.

I'm terribly sorry, Ben.

Oh, it's not your fault, Ruth.

Uh, you better not
do that, Mr. Cartwright.

You might mess up that bandage.

Oh, it's not too bad, is it?

A nasty bruise.
Small concussion.

Sure like to know
who those two were.

Later on, eh, Mr. Cartwright?

Now, if any dizziness
or nausea occurs,

I want you to send
someone for me at once.

And I want you to spend the next
48 hours in bed, Mr. Cartwright.

- We'll see that he does.
- All right. This way out, ladies.

Can't I talk to
him for a moment?

Well, certainly you can.

Tomorrow morning.

There's a bell on the
table if you want anything.

Oh, I'll be all right,
thank you, Ruth.

Mr. Cartwright!

Oh, good morning. Good morning.

What are you doing?

Well, I was... I was
looking for my hat.

- It's right over there.
- Oh, thank you.

Dr. Adams said you were
to stay in bed for at least...

At least 48 hours. But he
was being overcautious.

Oh, is Mrs. Manning up?

- Up and gone hours ago.
- Then I'll see her at the Clarion.

Now, wait a minute, wait
a minute. You gotta eat.

You gotta keep your strength up.

You wouldn't want all
this food to go to waste.

Mmm. Well, you... you make it
almost impossible for me to refuse.

Thank you.

Mrs. Manning says you were best
man when she and Willard were married.

Yes, that's right.

Ruth has been running the
paper for three years now.

She works much too hard.

Hmm. I have a feeling that
she'd be lost without the Clarion.

That's what she
says. But I know better.

Ruth has had more
than her share of trouble.

What kind of trouble?

It ain't right for a housekeeper
to say, Mr. Cartwright,

but if you're the
friend I think you are,

you'll see that she
gets a lot of help.

Well, Mr. Dobbs. Just
where are you going?

Well, I'm going to
work, same as usual.

You feeling all right?

- Sure.
- You don't look so good to me.

Kind of green. Sickly.

Be a good idea if you
went home and went to bed.

As green as you look, you go to work
now, you might not get through the day.

Maybe you're right.

He got the word, huh?

One scared little man.

He'll pack up and
leave as fast as he can.

Calls for a drink. Come on.

All right, turn around.

You're under arrest.
Hand over your guns.

- I don't see any star on you.
- Yeah, no marshal's badge either.

This is a citizen's arrest. Now,
hand over your guns. Come on.

Come on.

Mister, you're
making a big mistake.

Let's move to the sheriff's
office. All right, move.

- Howdy, Leek, Cotton.
- How you doing, Sheriff?

Howdy. Took these
off Montana Slim.

Man spends his life
at crooked gambling,

you'd think he'd do a better job
of marking cards, wouldn't you?

- What can I do for you two?
- Well, the man says we're under arrest.

He's holding a gun
on us to prove it.

The devil he is.

I know Walt Leek, Jeff
Cotton. I didn't catch your name.

Cartwright. Ben Cartwright.

Thought I was the law
around here, Mr. Cartwright.

Since you're doing
my work for me,

maybe you'd better tell
me what this is all about.

Assault and battery, trespassing
and destruction of property.

This assault, who was it on?

Me and a couple of others.

- You willing to sign a complaint?
- That's why I'm here, Sheriff.

All right.

Your turn. What have
you two got to say?

- Nothing, except he's wrong.
- He sure is.

Well, there you
are, two against one.

You take this to court, the judge'll
throw it right out in the street.

Sheriff, I have witnesses.

Do what the man wants, Sheriff.

Let Judge Tabor decide
who's telling the truth.

- Plaintiff.
- Cartwright. Ben Cartwright.

Cartwright, Ben.

Mr. Dobbs, I hope
I didn't startle you.

It's not your fault.

It's not hard. I'm wearing my
nerves on the outside of my skin.

I got page two locked up.

I'll have to change that. Two
of the ads have been canceled.

- Kelly's Mercantile and...
- The Eagle Saloon.

- You knew about that?
- I guessed.

Old Leek was waiting on the sidewalk
this morning, told me to go home.

That's the reason I was late.

I went around back so they
wouldn't see me come in.

After yesterday, I
can hardly blame you.

Yes'm.

Ben, you're supposed to
be in bed. The doctor said...

I know what the doctor said.

But right now I need both you and
Henry in court in exactly ten minutes.

In court? But why?

I've signed a complaint
against Cotton and Leek.

They're gonna stand trial. I
need you both as witnesses.

I guess you'd better
get your hat, Henry.

Well, you two don't need me. I
mean, the two of you'll be enough.

We do need you. Three
will be better than two.

Well, I... I guess I
shouldn't be surprised.

You always did
face trouble head-on.

Well, Ruth, I just can't let
those two get away with it.

It isn't only those two.

I guess Henry
doesn't want to testify.

- Why not?
- Because he's afraid.

They're trying to take the
Clarion away from me, Ben.

That's what this is all about.

Who... Who's trying?

The man who owns just about
everything else in Gunlock.

You'll meet him
in a few minutes.

Circuit Court, Gunlock
County, now in session.

Judge Seth Tabor presiding.

Well, everybody's here.

I guess we can get this
little matter cleared up.

Mr. Leek?

My partner and I are trying to buy
the Clarion. No secret about that.

Mr. Cotton stepped into the back
shop to take a look at the equipment.

I did shake hands
with the little fella.

Maybe I squeezed too hard,
but I didn't mean to hurt him.

Mr. Cartwright walked
into the middle of things

and he didn't know
what was going on.

I slipped and grabbed
this case and it fell down,

and next thing I know, this
Cartwright's trying to kill me.

Cartwright went pure loco.

He knocked Mr. Cotton down
and then tried to draw on him.

Mrs. Manning.

Had both these gentlemen
made you an offer for the Clarion?

- Yes, and I told them...
- You answered my question. Thank you.

Mr. Cartwright, did you
knock Mr. Cotton down?

Yes, I did.

And did you draw on him?

No, I did not.

Oh, I see. Well, there seems to be
a difference of opinion on that point.

However, it appears to the court
that there was no real harm done,

that the cause of the trouble was...
was an accident and misunderstanding.

The court finds the defendants
innocent of all charges.

However, as a
gesture of goodwill,

Mr. Cotton and Mr. Leek are willing
to pay for all damages, including...

Mr. Tabor, there
was no accident.

Mr. Cotton deliberately pushed
that type down onto the floor.

Dobbs was the only one close
enough to see what happened.

If it happened like you said, why
didn't you bring him along to testify?

Well, Mr. Cartwright?

He didn't wish to testify.

And I'll tell you
why, Mr. Tabor.

Because he's afraid of
those two thugs of yours.

Mrs. Manning, this is a court of
law. You'll speak when asked to only.

These two couldn't even afford to
buy a notebook, let alone a newspaper.

They work for you.

Mr. Cartwright!

I find you in contempt of court.
That will be 20 dollars or 20 days.

You're absolutely
right, Mr. Tabor.

Contempt is what I feel.

40 dollars or 40 days!

Yes, sir.

Well, fine turnout today, Ben.
One of the best I've ever had.

Good.

The men who own the
big ranches are here.

They need horses and can afford to
pay for 'em. You should do very well.

Thank you.

Mr. Cartwright. I didn't
expect you to still be around.

Well, Mr. Tabor, I've got some
horses up for auction here.

Oh, I see.

The handbill says 10 a.m.,
Mr. North, and it is now five after.

- Time to get started.
- Well, I guess it's time.

Gentlemen, ladies, it's my
pleasure to offer at auction

ten of the finest horses we've
seen in Gunlock in a long, long time.

All right, let's show them
how that black beauty moves.

Well, there's our first offering,
that handsome black gelding,

a prime example of
Ponderosa-bred saddle stock.

There's a real stockman's
horse, fast, nimble.

One dollar.

I haven't asked for
a bid yet, Mr. Tabor,

but if I had, you
have to be joking.

I'm not joking. I bid one
dollar for that black gelding.

All right, I have a dollar bid.

Well, in spite of
what Mr. Tabor says,

a one dollar bid for that
fine animal has to be a joke.

Come on, gentlemen,
let's be serious.

You know that horse'd be
a bargain for 100 dollars.

All right, who'll open
the bidding at 75?

Do I hear 75?

65?

60?

- 55?
- I bid one dollar.

Either get a higher bidder
or sell me that horse.

Mr. Tabor, you can't be serious.

You advertised these horses for
sale at auction to the highest bidder.

No ifs, ands or buts.

Now, get a higher bidder
or sell me that horse.

Who'll give 55?

50 dollars.

Do you wanna tell him,
or do you want me to?

Mr. Cartwright, a man puts
something up to be sold at auction,

he can't bid on it himself.

Gunlock County law.

- How long has this law been in effect?
- Oh, a long, long time.

More than two years.

And if the lady has any
idea of bidding for you,

she better have the
money in her purse.

Yep, cash on the
barrelhead. That's the law too.

I have a dollar bid. One dollar.

Going...

going...

Sold to Mr. Tabor
for one dollar.

Bring out the rest of them.
I'm in a horse-buying mood.

I knew about that auction law,

but I had no idea that
Tabor'd use it the way he did.

It's not your fault.

Anyway, it's not the end
of the world, so don't worry.

You bred and raised
those beautiful horses,

brought them all
the way up here.

Tabor stole them.

No, he... he bought them.

Oh, I admit that a dollar a head
could be considered robbery,

but it's legal and binding.

Oh, Ben, why did they do this?

Easy, now. Easy.

I didn't mean to cry.

I don't want to cry.

I won't cry.

Well, it might do
you good to cry.

Either that or swear, and I doubt
if you have enough words for that.

Living here in Gunlock
and running the Clarion,

you'd be surprised
at the words I know.

Are you sure that Tabor's
responsible for this?

I know he is.

He ordered it to be done

while he and Cotton and
Leek and that tame sheriff of his

were at the auction where
everyone could see them.

So, you know, but
you can't prove, huh?

I know or suspect a lot of things
about Mr. Tabor I can't prove.

Why does he want the Clarion?

Because he wants everything
he can get his hands on,

every ranch, every freight
wagon, every stick of lumber.

Henry, what
happened? Who did it?

Nobody, ma'am. I just sort of
stumbled and fell out in the street.

Look at this. Good type
thrown all over the floor.

Anybody who did this ought
to be tarred and feathered.

I'm right sorry, ma'am.

Look, the reason I come is I just
got word that my brother's mortal sick.

I gotta leave Gunlock, ma'am.

It's all right, Henry. I
understand. You want your pay.

Ma'am, if it wouldn't trouble
you, it sure'd help me out.

Of course. Right away.

I... hope your
brother gets well soon.

Me too, ma'am. Thank you
very much. Much obliged.

It's the end of the paper.

Well, we'll get another printer.

I've had six printers
in the last four months.

You know, one of the printers didn't
stay long enough to even say hello.

Some of Mr. Tabor's
friends met him at the stage.

Well, I've got newspaper friends
in San Francisco and Virginia City.

No, Ben. Even if I
wanted to go on, I couldn't.

When a person dies, there's
a funeral, a eulogy, mourners.

A newspaper dies, nothing.

- Well, the Clarion isn't dead.
- For me it is.

When Willard was alive,
it was read and respected.

Now the advertising,
the circulation's gone.

I've poured three
years of trying.

I... I have nothing
more to give.

Well, you're tired.
It's been a hard day.

We'll talk about
it again tomorrow.

No.

Mr. Tabor's won the war.

He can have the Clarion.

But for a price.

He'll have to pay
well for what he wants.

Do you want Tabor
to have the Clarion?

No. But I haven't the strength
or the money to fight him.

Oh, I know you're going
to offer to lend it to me,

because you knew Willard
and because we're old friends.

No, Ben. Mm-mm.

I'm very tired. All
I wanna do is rest.

Well, what I was thinking...

You know, how would it be if I
were to try to sell the Clarion for you?

I mean, I think
I'd probably drive

a much harder bargain
than you could, you know?

Would you trust me for that?

- Of course I'd trust you.
- Good.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Right now I'm
gonna take you home.

Get some of that
resting done. Come on.

This is the cashier's
check for the full amount.

That's much more than I ever
thought Seth Tabor would pay.

Then you're pleased?

More than pleased.
I'm wildly happy.

This calls for a celebration.
Coffee and rum cake.

Cake that won the blue
ribbon at the county fair.

Now, it'll do you both good.

Ruth hasn't been eating
enough to keep a bird alive.

And Mr. Cartwright's
been staying at the hotel,

where the food
would choke a goat.

- I think we're being summoned.
- I think so too.

But first of all you've
gotta sign this bill of sale.

It's for the buildings and the
equipment and, of course, the goodwill.

You sign it right there.

Goodwill? Huh!

There's not much of that left.

A lot more than you think.

There we are. Good.

I can start packing now.

Yes, you can.

Oh, thank you, thank you.

You're... gonna leave Gunlock?

Yes.

And I'm glad to go.

With Willard gone and the paper
gone, I... I can hardly wait to leave.

Thank you for
making it possible.

My pleasure.

You're an old
friend, a good friend.

There's no one else like you.

Ten minutes till stage time, and
your trunk's already at the depot.

I walked down there myself just to
be sure the drayman didn't forget it.

- That really wasn't necessary.
- Well, I like to be sure.

Now, you look up my
cousin Ellie in Sacramento.

Of course, the very first thing.

Ellie knows everybody,
and she'll see to it that you...

- Ben Cartwright.
- Oh, good morning.

If you think for one moment...

- Ben Cartwright, you lied to me.
- About what?

You told me Seth Tabor
was going to buy the Clarion.

Well, actually, you... you told
me that. I just didn't correct you.

Deliberate evasion. And
that's the same thing as a lie.

Oh, now.

Ben, the Clarion's dead.

There are no
subscribers, no advertisers.

I could at least persuade myself

to let Tabor pay for the bits
and pieces of what he destroyed,

but I cannot take
money from you.

Well, Ruth, you already have.

Look, the only thing that's
left is the name out front.

Tabor... Tabor has
this whole town terrified.

They... They're even
afraid to read the Clarion.

- Well, I'm gonna try to change that.
- You're going to?

How? You don't know the
first thing about running a paper.

Ruth! The stage'll be
leaving in a few minutes.

All right, I'll be there in
a minute, in two minutes.

You know, I'll
never understand it.

Any man who owns a pencil
thinks he can run a paper.

Ruth, they're loading
passengers. The stage'll be leaving.

All right. Let it go.

- What about your trunk?
- Take it off.

I'm going to help.

Well, I... I... I couldn't
ask you to do that.

You didn't. I volunteered.

Well, you may not want to when
you find out what I've been doing.

Now, Ruth, here's a copy
of the first page of the paper

that you were going to put out.

Here's the headline.

"Jeb Anderson
builds a new barn."

Uh... "The Hermione Ladies
Club is having a box social."

- Not exactly earth-shattering.
- It's local news.

I spelled all the
names correctly.

It's the first rule: people like
reading about themselves.

Well, I've written a
new headline. Henry?

Yeah, here it is, Mr. Cartwright. I
set it up in type and ran off a proof.

Thank you.

I guess it wasn't your brother who
was mortal sick. It was the Clarion.

Well, now that you have a man
editor, you think it has a chance to live.

Well, no offense to you, ma'am,
but if it don't, it's going down fighting.

What do you think, Ruth?

Ben, you can't print
that. There are libel laws.

Seth Tabor will sue you for
everything you own and get it.

Truth is an unassailable
defense against a libel suit.

You sound exactly like Willard.

Well, I should. It was
Willard who taught me that.

Yes, sir, if you've get the story,
I'll set it up in type and run it off.

Story? Can I read that?

"Corruption, malfeasance
and dishonesty

were demonstrated in the court of
Justice of the Peace, Seth Tabor."

Well, I must say, Ben, you
don't beat around the bush.

Newspaperman. Ha!

You don't even
know how to spell.

Gently, now. Gently.

Good type is like a fine
woman or a spirited horse.

They both need gentle handling.

- I didn't know you were a horseman.
- I'm not.

The man who taught me was.

What he told me,
I'm passing on to you.

All right. Gently does it, then.

What's the matter?

There's a notice tacked
on the post office wall.

Hmm?

All government land
in Gunlock County

will be open to homesteaders
60 days from today.

Hmm. Well...

That's... That's almost
two thirds of the country.

That's over a million acres.

Oh, from Washington. Addressed
to the editor of the Clarion.

Would you open it, please?

A copy of the same announcement.

What does the letter say?

Washington would like it printed
on the front page of every newspaper

within a thousand
miles of Gunlock County.

The land commissioner in
charge will be named later.

Hmm.

Pretty important
job for somebody.

Whoever he is,

he'll be the most powerful
man in this part of the country.

If he's not the most honest,
he'll be the richest too.

That's why Tabor
wants the Clarion.

So he can use it to get himself
appointed land commissioner.

I'm gonna send a
telegram to Washington.

I've got a friend there
who might be able to help.

I'm bringing in men to homestead these
claims and to do the assessment work.

And then sell 'em to you?

For a dollar each, yes.

A dollar a section for land.

That's better than buying
horses for a dollar a head.

If that's your idea of a
joke, Mr. Leek, I don't like it.

Now, Sheriff Knox's
holdings will be here.

Mr. Cotton's will be here.

And Mr. Leek's, if Mr. Leek
is still with us, will be here.

Now, between us, we'll control
the water in this whole wide area.

And having the water,

we'll control another 10,000
acres of fine grazing land.

If you're appointed
land commissioner.

Oh, I will be, Mr. Leek,
before the week is out.

Mr. Tabor's got friends in
Washington taking care of that for him.

Mm-hm.

And who's gonna
take care of Cartwright?

Why does that
concern you, Mr. Leek?

Because Cartwright owns the Clarion
now, and he's carrying a ten-horse grudge,

and he just might use it to
wreck your pretty little wagon.

Don't bet on it, Mr. Leek.

Come on, the fire's out. Let's
go. Get these buckets back.

- Thanks for your help.
- Glad to help out.

- You feeling better, Dobbs?
- Much, thanks.

All that work gone.

Oh, Ben, what
have I done to you?

It's not the end of
the world, not yet.

Don't you see? We
can't. There's just no way.

So after I got the wagon loaded,

I went over to the livery
stable to get the team,

and when I got back, the wagon
and the papers was burning like fury.

Forget it. It's all over now.

Thank you, ma'am. I needed this.

Mr. Leek tells me you had an
unfortunate accident here, a fire.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Well, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Tabor.

We lost a few papers,
but we'll survive. Come in.

Yes, well, at the
auction, I did get angry,

and for very good
reason, I believe.

But I did... I did take advantage
of you. I'm here to make that right.

I'll pay you whatever you say your
horses are worth, Mr. Cartwright.

Well, you've already
paid me, Mr. Tabor.

As you yourself pointed out, the
transaction was legal and binding.

100 dollars a head.

I'm afraid the
transaction is closed.

All right, Mr. Cartwright.
We'll forget the horses.

But Gunlock does seem to be an
unlucky town for you... until now.

Tomorrow will be much better.

I'll give you a large profit
on a short-term investment.

I'll buy the Clarion at four times
what you paid Mrs. Manning.

- Four times?
- Mm-hm.

Why?

So you can use it to make sure that
you're appointed land commissioner?

The job calls for a man who knows
the problems of Gunlock County,

and I do, better than any
man alive, Mr. Cartwright.

I should think you do.
You created most of them.

Yeah, he sure did.

You know, you run Gunlock County
like it was your own private kingdom.

Mr. Cartwright, if you or
the Clarion try to stop me,

your next of kin will regret it.

I suggest you read
tomorrow's edition.

I already have.

I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright. I never
should have let him get a look at this.

- It's all right, Henry.
- It certainly is.

Henry, lock up that press.
We got a paper to put out.

I thought I told you to
keep an eye on the Clarion.

Cotton's watching it. Doesn't
take two to watch one building.

Besides, there's something
you ought to know.

I saw half a dozen men carrying
around pieces of that paper.

Folks around here will want to
know what was in it that got it burned.

You think that bothers me?

It should.

There was a lot
about you on page two.

Tells how you got your start driving
one of Asa Butter's freight wagons.

How you got to be
wagon boss, then partner.

How you bought the freight
line from Asa's widow...

after Asa hanged himself.

That part was news to me.

That's only part of the story.

The smallest part.

Cartwright is getting
to be a nuisance.

Well, what did you expect?

You fined him for contempt, you stole
his horses and you burned his papers.

So I did.

If you'd have let him get a
decent price for his horses,

he would have been long gone by now
and you would have owned the Clarion.

We all make mistakes, Mr. Leek.

The difference between us
is that I don't worry about it.

- I'll still own the Clarion.
- I don't see how.

There's a lot you don't see.

Without Cartwright here, I'd be taking
a helpless widow's last possession.

Even men who know
better would side with her.

Oh, Cartwright.

He owns timber, cattle, horses,
the biggest ranch in Nevada.

You know, people enjoy
seeing a big man cut down.

It's human nature.

When I take Cartwright apart, all of
Gunlock County will stand up and cheer.

I'll be a good trick,
if you can do it.

- I can, and I will.
- Yeah, a bullet would stop him.

But it would also get
you hung for murder.

Now, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

The only way I see is to burn that
whole building, press, paper, type and all.

Mr. Leek, there's
some hope for you yet.

Sometimes you do fall
over the obvious solution.

Thank you.

Mr. Purdy, it's nice
to see you again.

It has been a while. Too long.

It's a good ad. You want this
printed the same as usual?

Yes...

It's too late to get your
ad in tomorrow's Clarion.

Next week'll be fine.

That was Mr. Purdy.
Gunlock mercantile.

He wants to run a
half-page ad every week.

Oh, good.

- Now...
- Yeah.

Purdy was only the first.

Next came Hob Kelly,
Kelly's livery stable.

Came in and bought
an ad, bought something.

He left money on the counter.

All right. Mr. Leek, I guess
we're gonna do it your way.

Cotton, you stay here.

Knox and I'll give you a hand.

The three of us'll be enough.

You were so happy
before. What changed you?

After what happened
with the last issues,

I'm wondering if these papers will
get to the post office and the stage.

They will.

We're gonna load 'em right outside
that front door in broad daylight

where everybody can watch.

Don't worry.

Time to load up.

Cartwright didn't scare.

Presses are still going.
They'll be there till daylight.

Well, we don't have to
wait for them to leave.

Well, if we light the fire now,
they'll smell the smoke and put it out.

Oh, I doubt it. This building'll
go up like a haystack.

They won't be able to save it.
Pick out a place and light your fire.

Do what I tell you, Mr. Leek.

Well, now, we'll take
Cartwright over to the jail

and it'll be a legal killing
for trying to escape.

No, Mr. Tabor...

Sheriff, you cooperate and you'll
have Leek's land and your own.

You'll be a very wealthy man.

Well, if there's nothing else,
Mr. Cartwright, I guess I'll head home.

Fine. You have a
good night's rest, Henry.

Thank you, sir. Good night.

- Good night.
- Night.

Well, these'll go to the president and
the cabinet members in Washington.

- If they get them.
- Oh, they will.

Have you had an
answer to your telegram?

No. I'm afraid Mr. Tabor has that
telegraph operator under his thumb.

I don't think that
message was ever sent.

- I was afraid of that.
- But these papers'll get there.

I'll take them to the post
office in the morning myself,

see that they're stamped
and put in the mailbag.

Mr. Tabor wants
a government job.

I don't think he's going
to interfere with the mails.

What was that?

I don't know.

Get back.

Drop it.

You kill your own men, huh?

Not me. You.

Bad blood between you.

He gave you a lump on the head,

so you split his skull open
with a pistol butt, killed him.

Speak up, Sheriff. Tell him.

You're under arrest.
Murder. Hand it over.

Won't hold up in court, you
know. Any court, not even yours.

Get up. Get up!

Move.

Drop those guns.

Well, ma'am, you
better drop your gun.

You're helping a murderer to
escape and that's a felony, ma'am.

Drop it.

Yes, ma'am, I'll...
I'll drop it all right.

Wasn't my idea, Mr. Cartwright.
Wasn't my idea at all.

Oh, Ben.

Oh, thank God.

There never were
any bullets in that rifle.

I'm terrified of loaded guns.

No... no goodbyes.
I... I hate goodbyes.

So do I.

- But I do want...
- And no thank yous.

I hate thank yous.

All right. But I'll have
to bite my tongue.

Wish I could stay.

I do too.

But you have the Ponderosa,
and I have the Clarion.

As a favor, can't we
keep in touch this time?

Of course. I'll
write you regularly.

And of course I'll be keeping
in touch with you regularly

because I'll be
reading the Clarion,

which I'll be reading every
Wednesday when it comes in the mail.