Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 12, Episode 11 - The Luck of Pepper Shannon - full transcript

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What are you looking at, young fella?

Oh, I was just admiring that bird.

- Flying rustler.
- A what?

Flying rustler... steal the food
right off your plate.

I always thought
it was called a blue jay.

That's right, if you
want to use the other name.

Oh.

You all right?

- Sure. Why wouldn't I be?
- No reason.



I can see that now.

Thought that horse had
got away on you there.

Didn't know you were just
shaking the mean out of him.

Yeah, well, he likes to run.
I like to let him.

Seems I misplaced Virginia City.

Can you tell me how to get there?

Oh, sure. That's where I'm going.

You're welcome to come along
with me, if you like.

- I'm obliged. Thank you.
- Sure. Right this way.

Bet you've never seen one like this.

Oh, I've seen a lot of 'em.

- Go on, take a look at it.
- All right.

Look yonder.

Sure as I'm standing here,
that's Pepper Shannon.



My gosh.

Balance. That's what
makes the difference.

- Point it at me... you'll see.
- Well, I can't.

You're never supposed to point a gun
at anything you don't intend to shoot.

Well, most of the times, that's true,

but you're gonna be
doing us both a favor

if you point it at me right now.

Go on, do it, boy. Point it.

That's a wanted man
with a price on his head of $2,000,

and it's all gonna be mine.

Montana, you're a little late.

The boy's already taken me prisoner.

He's taking me to the sheriff right now.

Keep aiming at me. That's the way.

Don't you get itchy fingered
there, young fella.

I'm going peaceably.

Pepper Shannon?

Pepper Shannon? The stage robber?

The famous outlaw?

You got the name right,
and you're the first man

that's ever captured
old Pepper Shannon.

He's two hours late.

Well, what are you gonna say to him?

I don't know. I'm waiting to
hear what he has to say.

Jamie little boy, big eater.

He know Hop Sing
bake apple pie today.

He should be here now. Hmmph!

You know, he does like
Hop Sing's apple pie awful well.

You don't reckon he could be
lost or something, do you?

You'll never guess what happened.

Young man, you've been told
that we have supper

the same time every day.

Yes, sir. Uh, I got the mail.

- The mail.
- Thank you.

Did you get them buckles
over at the hardware?

I guess I forgot.

Well, the sheriff wanted to talk to me,
and then I had to hurry to get home.

He wanted me to write it all down,
how I captured Pepper Shannon.

- How you...
- Captured Pepper Shannon.

Pepper Shannon, the outlaw?

- Yeah!
- Yeah.

And Montana Jones says

that there's a reward
out for him... $2,000.

Jamie, you come in kitchen.
Your supper in oven.

But Hop Sing, I wanted
to tell them how I...

Uh, Hop Sing would like to
clean up after supper.

He's been waiting around
for two hours.

Why don't you go in and eat
and then we'll talk.

Yes, sir.

He... he... he was real nice.

He... he looked a lot older
than the pictures in his book, though.

- Who's older?
- Well, Pepper Shannon.

Well, I've heard of some whoppers,
but that about takes the cake.

But you've got to admit,
it's a pretty good excuse

for being late for supper.

I remember a couple
of fellas came up with

some pretty good whoppers
of their own at one time.

Well, I think I'd better have a talk
with that young fella.

Pepper's a famous outlaw...
The most famous that ever lived.

Jamie, no talk with mouth full.
Is not polite.

My mouth's not full, Hop Sing.

Should be, or your food get cold.

He must have robbed
at least 100 stages.

I read about him in a book
I got upstairs.

Jamie, those, uh...

those dime novels
that you've got in your room,

I've been meaning to
talk to you about those.

Yes?

You know, they're not always accurate.

They, uh... they sure tend
to stretch the imagination somewhat.

Well, all right, all right.

Tell me, how did it happen?
How did you capture him?

Well, I captured him...

Well, I was riding into town
and... when I met this man,

and he said that he was lost

and that he didn't know
how to get to Virginia City,

so I offered to take him.

Mr. Mills is here to see you.

- Attorney at law.
- Let him in.

All right.

Just sing out when
you're ready to go, Mr. Mills.

I don't remember asking for no lawyer.

You didn't. I was retained
to act on your behalf.

You mind telling me who hired you?

A friend who wants to help.

A friend? No name?

You need a lawyer. I'm a good one.

I think that's all that matters.

12 years.

You've been reading the book.

You're about to ask me
how long it's been

since I robbed a stage in this state.

That's my answer... 12 years.

In fact, I wasn't even in the country.

You've been doing a little,
uh, reading yourself.

The statute of limitation
expires in ten years.

After that, the law can't touch.

Mm-hmm. Well, the hearing
will just be a formality.

You'll be a free man
at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

- Sheriff?
- Coming.

See you in court.

Tell my friend no-name
I'll be seeing him.

Whoa.

Hi, Ben. You're just the man
I want to see.

Huh?

You know, I still want to buy that, uh,
south slope timber of yours.

I'm prepared to sweeten
my previous offer by about $4,500.

Sorry. Not for sale. Jamie.

$4,700, but that's my last offer.

Good.

Did you know they wrote
five books about you?

I got all of 'em.

That's a powerful lot of words.

I doubt anybody's worth that many.

I don't. Oh, Mr. Cartwright,

I was just saying hello to Mr. Shannon.

- Howdy.
- The Ponderosa Ranch.

The boy told me about you,
riding into town.

I got a feeling we've met before.

We have... Sand Pass.

Oh, yeah. The stage.

One of my mistakes.
I've made a lot of them.

Oh, I'd better get those
harness buckles before I forget.

- Yeah, good idea.
- Bye-bye, Mr. Shannon.

- Nice boy.
- Yes, he is.

I owe him some.

If he hadn't rode into town with me,
I could've got shot.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

I'll tell you something else
you're thinking too.

An old stage robber like me,
bad company for that boy.

Certainly not the best.

Well, the last thing
in the world I'd want

is to cause that boy harm.

Sorry about Sand Pass.

We both are. Good day.

Hi, Ben.
Hey, Ben, you got a minute?

- Sure.
- I saw you talking to Pepper.

You're about the only one
that can get a word out of him.

Other people have tried,
but he just seems

to look right through 'em
and says nary a word.

Well, he talked to you
in jail, didn't he?

Well, he talked, yeah,
but he didn't say nothin'.

Look at him, Ben.

He's been sitting on that bench
for three days now,

all day long, just to sit.

Nothing wrong with that.

Did he say anything to you
about why he's here

or what he's fixing to do,
how long he's gonna stay?

No, not a word.

A man of his record and no money,
just a'sittin' in the sun,

he's got to be planning something.

I hate to say it, Roy,
but I've got the same feeling.

Gives you a start,
doesn't it, Mr. Corry?

- How'd you get in here?
- Back door.

The back door was locked.
It's always locked.

It was? I didn't notice.

Well, you'd better get out of here,

because there's another man
coming by here in a few minutes.

- Your lawyer?
- Yeah, how... wait a minute.

You're the one who sent
that note to my house.

The Derringer in your vest pocket...
I can see the bulge.

Don't touch it, Mr. Corry.

You're much too young to die.

Sit down. Sit down!

The last time I talked to you,
you were clerking at a bank.

You're a big man now.

I'll give you $5,000.

Half.

That was the deal we made.

An $80,000 currency shipment.

I held up the stage and I took
the box and what did I find?

Newspapers!
And a posse on my tail...

The biggest posse this state ever saw.

$7,500, cash. All cash, Pepper.

First, a drink.

A drink? Sure.

The good stuff in the sideboard.

I've been listening to people.

You lend money, 10% interest.

Well, let's see now.

80,000 that you never put in the box,

at 10% for 12 years,

why, you, uh,
you more than doubled it, didn't you?

Well, Pepper, sure, I've made
some money, you know,

but, uh, I've had bad luck too...
A lot of bad luck.

If you doubled the money,
that doubles my share.

I want 80,000, cash.

I haven't got it. I just haven't got it.

Ten. Ten is about
the most I could raise.

You're getting brave.

In a minute, you're gonna
tell me that, uh,

I can't tie you into that robbery.

- You can't.
- And even if I could,

the statute of limitations has run out.

That's in the State of Nevada.

I make my own laws.

80,000.

You got two weeks.

I'll tell you where and how
I want it delivered.

On second thought,
you're not too young to die.

Hey, are you just gonna set there?

Huh? No, I'm helping you
with the chores.

- Oh.
- Ah, here... here it is.

"Pepper Shannon,
like Robin Hood of yore,

"stole from the rich
and gave to the poor."

"He had friends everywhere.

"His largesse was unending."

"Largesse" means generosity.

I... I looked it up.

Oh. I know what it meant.

Uh, you'd better get that basket
and gather them eggs

or I'm gonna tan your hide.

- Yes, sir.
- Robin Hood.

- Hi, there, young fella.
- Hi, Pepper.

Hey, Hoss, this is Pepper Shannon.

Howdy.

I'm looking for Ben Cartwright.

- Is he here?
- Yeah, he's in the house.

- I'll take you.
- No need.

I can find it myself.

Mr. Cartwright?

Uh, Mr. Shannon.

I was just fixing to have some coffee.

- Will you join me?
- I could use some.

- Sit down.
- Thank you.

I came to ask for a job.

I see.

If you're thinking I, uh, picked you
'cause of the boy, I didn't.

I hit every ranch
between here and town.

- No luck?
- Well...

once, they let me water my horse.

That was the best.

From what I heard at the other places,

I'm pretty sure you don't want
me bunking with your crew.

I ain't asking for that.

What are you asking?

Well, a place this big
needs land riders.

Hard work. Lonely work.

Not too many men want to do it.

Hard, I don't mind. Lonely, I like.

I'll do a better job
riding and building,

fixing fences,
and the best man you ever had.

I'm looking for a stake.
I need traveling money.

Oh, you're not intending
to stay around this area?

Well, I figured to...

'til I set in that bench
in Virginia City.

It gives a man no pleasure
to be looked at

like something the buzzards
wouldn't touch.

Walking out of that jail
like I did then,

that made some folks mad.

The law forgives. They don't.

Yeah. The statute of
limitations was passed

to help a man who reformed.

Maybe they doubt that you have.

Ain't no maybe about it.

They were waiting for me
to rob a bank

or the stage or something.

Either that, or they figured
I hadn't paid for what I did.

Well, I paid, all right. I paid.

Ten years, hard labor,
all of it in solitary,

most of it, chained against the wall.

That's why I like it lonely.
I'm used to it.

All right. Thanks for the coffee.

Now, wait a minute.
Sit down, sit down.

We need a line man.

Worst job on the range,
but the only one that's open.

- I'll take it.
- In the Beaver Meadow section,

ten miles north of here.

The line shack's in bad need of repair

and so are the fences...
Miles of them.

That's my traveling money.

One restriction.

You're still bad company for Jamie.

If he shows up,
I'll chase him back here.

Fine.

- Beaver Meadow?
- Yeah.

- Who told you that?
- A bartender.

- The word's all over town.
- Is it?

Why did it take you
a whole week to find out?

Yesterday was payday
for the Ponderosa hands,

and some of the men
were in town last night.

- Riding fence, huh?
- Yeah.

Is any of this fence along the road
between here and the Ponderosa?

A lot of it.

I want a man to ride along with you.

I want a man
who's prominent and honest...

A man whose word
won't be doubted by anybody.

It should be a minister
or a judge or, uh... hey,

a bank president... Harold Donavan.

Well, there's no doubt about
his prominence and honesty.

He also happens to be
president of the bank

that owned the currency shipment
Pepper Shannon stole.

Which makes him perfect.

I want that fence cut tonight

at a spot where the brush is thick.

Yahh! Come on! Pssh!

He's shooting at us. Get down.

Whoa.

Mr. Donavan, it's all over now.
Nothing to worry about.

He was trying to kill us.

I don't like to hurt anybody,
but I had to do it.

You certainly did.

You know, facing a gunman
like that, that took courage.

Well, I was armed. You weren't.

Even so, that took real nerve.

It's a terrible thing
to have to kill a man.

He's alive.

- Alive?
- Yes.

That man needs help, and fast.

Well, uh, I could get a wagon
at the Ponderosa.

Oh, no, no, we haven't time for that.
We'll manage in the buggy.

He's a gunman and a thief,
but still, he's a human being,

and we can't just leave him here
to bleed to death.

Come on, now. Give me a hand.

- Pepper! Pe... what happened?
- He was shot. Shot.

Whoa.

Mr. Cartwright, Pepper's been shot.

- He's badly hurt.
- Who shot him?

Mr. Mills, and rightfully, too.

- He had ample cause.
- Come on.

Let's get him into the house.
I'll send for a doctor.

- And the sheriff.
- Here, let me help.

Well, if Shannon lives,
he'll have to stand trial

for attempted robbery and murder.

Outlawing is rugged work.

That man is wearing more scars
than I ever saw on a human body.

Now, these'll help him sleep...
One powder in a glass of water.

I'll be back tomorrow
to change the dressing.

Fine.

Well, it looks like Pepper has a friend.

Don't worry. He's doing fine.

- Bye, Doctor.
- Goodbye.

Mr. Cartwright,
I know it's my bedtime,

but, well, I just
couldn't help but wonder.

Of course. He's gonna be all right.

- How is he, Doc?
- He'll be all right.

Doctor, we're going to have
to take your patient into town.

Absolutely not.
The man is seriously wounded.

It'll be at least 72 hours
before I'll even hazard a guess

as to when he can be moved.

But he tried to murder us.
He belongs in jail.

You try to move him,
and you'll be the murderer.

- Good night.
- Good night, Doctor.

Mr. Donavan, Mr. Mills,
you can go now.

Clem, my deputy,
will ride into town with you.

Well, not until I know
who'll be responsible

for Shannon's appearance in court.

- I'll be responsible.
- Oh, okay.

You know what I don't understand...

Why would Pepper Shannon
fire at two men in a buggy?

Well, he knows me, Mr. Cartwright.

- He stole funds from my bank.
- Oh, yes.

The money was going to Carson City...
I remember.

So do I. It nearly destroyed my bank.

Why, he saw me today,
must have seen the pouch...

He guessed there was money in it.

$16,000.

It's Mr. Corry's last offer
on your south slope timber.

That's why I'm wearing a gun...
To protect Mr. Corry's money.

Well, why would he send cash?

The look and feel of real money

does a lot to persuade
a reluctant man.

Mr. Corry does a lot
of business that way.

Does he? Well, not with me.

- Well, I'll tell him that.
- Yes, do that.

Good night.

Pepper?

- Can you hear me?
- Mr. Cartwright?

- Mr. Cartwright.
- Here I am, Pepper.

What happened, Pepper?

The... the... the buggy...

the buggy was coming.

A big, big horse.

Mills... Mills was driving. Mills, and...

What else?

Dirt... dirt...

dirt in my mouth.

I... I was on the ground.

Pepper, who shot you?

Uh, I don't... I don't know.

I... I just... I was hit,
on the ground, and...

That's all.

He didn't help us much.

- Well, maybe later.
- Don't count on it.

When a man is seriously hurt,

he's not apt to remember
what happened.

Now, let him rest. Go now.

Check.

Yeah, them horses are sneaky.

They come at you from anyplace.

Sure do.

They're knights, not horses.

Knights, horses...
What's the difference?

I've been breaking my head
for five days,

trying to learn to play this game,
and I still keep losing.

When Pepper gets to feeling better,
we'll have to play up in his room.

Yeah. Hey, Clem, you...
You know Donavan.

- Mm-hmm.
- Have you ever known him

to ride off with somebody

that's just checked
a bunch of money out of his bank?

No, but he probably had a reason.

Yeah. Whatever it is,
I'd like to know what it was.

Yeah, I would too.

I'm gonna ride
into Virginia City tomorrow.

I'm gonna have a talk with him.

Check... and unless I'm wrong... mate.

- Uh-uh-uh.
- Ah-ah-ah.

Them horses are
a little sneaky, ain't they?

I finally got me one, Ben.

- So, Pepper fired first.
- What about it?

Well, at least, that's what
Mills and Donavan say, right?

You doubt their word?

It's not that I doubt their word.
It's just, it doesn't make sense to me.

Pepper fired first...
He fired three times,

and he missed both men.
How do you explain that?

That's a professional gunman.

Sort of hard to believe, ain't it?

I don't believe it.

Well, maybe he had buck fever.

I saw a man miss an elk
he could have clubbed with his rifle.

Well, I saw Pepper kill a rattlesnake
with one shot from his horse,

and a man's a lot bigger
than a rattlesnake.

Yeah, I'd say a whole lot.

Well, I'd better go up and have a look
and see how Pepper's doing.

Hey, Pa, you talk to Donavan?

Yeah, I sure did.

He just repeated
everything he said here.

Pepper had shot at them.

I still don't think we have the truth.

Well, I've known Harry
for a long time.

I've never known him to lie.

Well, there's still one thing
I can't get around.

Well, Pepper may be guilty,
but there sure are

a lot of questions
that need answering.

Yeah, like who cut the fence.

I mean, Pepper goes out to fix it,
and the buggy just happens along,

and Pepper just happens to get shot.

Yeah, it sure
makes you wonder, don't it?

Hop Sing wonder too. Food on table.

Hop Sing wonder
when everybody sit down and eat.

- Right now.
- Mr. Cartwright,

you're all trying to help Pepper,
and I didn't think you even liked him.

Well, it's not a question
of liking or disliking.

Every man is entitled
to a fair shake, hmm?

Sit down.

I didn't wake you, did I?

No, I wasn't asleep. Just pretending.

Thought you was the deputy.

Oh, he's sitting
at the bottom of the stairs,

reading the paper.

Oh, did you like the books?

Ain't had much time for 'em.

The sheriff was out here again.

- So was the doctor.
- What'd the doctor say?

- Says I'm fine.
- You don't look it.

Well, maybe that's 'cause
I'm going to town tomorrow, to jail,

and then to prison for 20, 30 years,
for something I didn't do.

You never did say. Jamie?

Do you think I... I tried to
kill those two men?

No, I never did believe it.

Well, I didn't, and I can prove it.

All I need is an hour
or two in Virginia City

and your help.

You... you mean, help you escape?

All the way...

I can't make it
to Virginia City alone.

I can't. I mean, what if the deput...

You'd probably get killed.

Jamie, if I told you nobody'd get hurt,

not even a scratch,
would you do it then,

to keep an innocent man
from spending

the rest of his life in prison?

Yeah, I guess,
but there's no way, Pepper.

There's an easy way.

Now, the deputy gets
a midnight lunch...

Coffee and sandwiches.

Now, if these powders
were to get in the pot...

I see.

I can do that.

Now, you be in the barn
with two horses, you hear?

- I can do that too.
- Ah.

Yeah.

- Ah, that looks good.
- Yeah.

Thank you, Ben.

Hmm, these books
ain't nothing but a...

But a herd of bald-faced lies.

There ain't a word of truth in 'em.

No surprise.

They put outlawin'
above being president.

Hmm, stealing's fun.
So is being chased by the law.

Well, didn't you find it that way?

Well, a boy shouldn't be
reading trash like this.

Why do you let him?

Well, if I try to talk him out of it,

it'll just make it
more attractive to him.

Jamie's growing up pretty fast.

He knows now
there's no truth in any of this.

He won't be reading
these books much longer.

- Good night.
- Good night.

- Good night, Clem.
- Good night, Ben.

- Thanks again.
- Mm-hmm.

Ah.

Another cup of coffee, Pepper?

No, no. No, thanks.

Hop Sing always makes good coffee.

- I still don't understand.
- All I know, Mr. Donavan,

is that Mr. Cartwright said
he wanted to talk to you.

What would he want to talk
about at this time of night?

I don't know,
but it must be important.

The middle of the night
is scarcely the time to...

- Sit down, now.
- The boy told me...

That Ben Cartwright was here.

Well, I expect he'll be by,

as soon as he finds out
me and the boy is missing.

So, you've escaped...

broken in here, obviously.

Now, you're using a boy
to add to your list of crimes.

No, sir... to prove he's innocent.

Over in the corner, Jamie.

I told you to sit down.

Now, before I put a bullet in you.

I don't know what you hope
to gain by this, Shannon.

I was watching the buggy come at me.

I didn't draw, and I didn't fire.

The next thing I know, I'm eating dirt.

Now, I know what you told the paper.

I want to know why you lied.

I didn't lie.

Did you see me take a shot at you?

Yes, I...

No, I'm not sure that I did,

but I heard it...
Of that, I'm positive.

How many shots?

One shot, and then some others.

You told the papers Mills shot me.

Did you see that?

No, not exactly.

Well, what did you see?

I'll tell you.

I saw you, standing beside the fence.

Then, the buggy came up,
abreast of you.

Mills was between us,
so I... I didn't see you,

but I heard you fire,

and Mills was standing up,
trying to hold the horse,

pushing me out of the buggy,
telling me to get down.

- And that's what you did, huh?
- Yes.

It's true, I didn't see the rest of it,

but I heard those shots.

Do you still think

I tried to kill you?

Yes, I do.

What if I told you

that I'm gonna pull this trigger

if you didn't change your mind?

I'd still have to say
you tried to kill us.

Jamie...

I think we found an honest man.

Then you'll help him?

He'll get a chance to try.

Come on, Clem, breathe deep.
Come on.

- I'm all right.
- Clem, you're not all right.

- Come on, wake up.
- How's he doing?

- He's getting better.
- I'm all right.

The sleeping powders are gone.

They must have put them
in the coffee.

Yeah. It's a good thing I came down
to get something to eat.

Yeah. 3:30.
They've had a good, long start.

Yeah.
Where do you reckon they went?

Virginia City, probably
to ask Donavan and Mills

the same questions
we've been asking ourselves.

- The horses are ready.
- Good. Let's go.

- Come on, Clem. Breathe deep.
- I'm all right.

What does Ben
want to see me about?

He didn't say, Mr. Corry.

Did, uh... did Pepper say
anything about me?

Uh, I don't know.

Well, then, what does Ben
want to talk to me about?

- Pepper Shannon got away.
- He got... got away?

- Escaped?
- Yeah.

Now, Mr. Cartwright,
I don't know what...

Corry, that Derringer...

Two fingers. On the floor.

You fire that pistol,
you'll bring the law.

- You'll hang.
- Maybe.

But you won't be around
to see it done.

Sit down.

Here we are...
All thieves together.

Corry, if you could shoot
as well as you can steal,

I'd be a long time dead.

Now, Pepper... no, no, Pepper,
I didn't. I... I didn't.

Sure, you did.

Had to be you or either Mills,
and I was watching Mills.

You set it up, and I owe you
for the bullets you put in me.

I ought to put a bullet apiece in you,

and I will, unless I get
the money you stole from me.

Corry, pay him.

- What about the boy?
- Never mind him.

He's riding with me.

The night's running out, Corry.

You'd better talk up.

You ain't got a lot of time.

15,000.

I swear, that's every cent of cash
I've got, Pepper.

It ain't much for getting shot, is it?

You took the 80,000
that I got charged for stealing.

But I told you,
I've had losses, big losses.

So have I!

12 years of losing.

It's not enough. I want 20!

That's only half of the share
you promised me.

Maybe, uh, uh, 18? 19?

I swear, that's... that's all the cash
I've got in the safe there.

Go ahead, open it,
before I change my mind.

Corry, put down that gun.

I don't think so.

Don't come in! He'll kill you!

All right,
sit down over there. Move!

Now I got...
got him to admit it...

and he heard all of it.

I heard it all.

Joe, get a doctor.

You're a good boy, Jamie.

You... you stay that way.

And... and stay away
from the thieves, you hear?

Mr. Cartwright went for the doctor.

You'll be all right.

The bullet didn't...

Didn't... didn't... didn't... didn't...

Didn't...