Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 12, Episode 26 - Winter Kill - full transcript

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Looks like he's been
digging around up here

trying to get the grass, don't it?

Yeah.

Got to find a lot more
than tracks, though.

Yeah.

This is polar bear country.

Don't seem like even
one of them Montana steers

could live up here, does it?

You better keep hoping he does.



Oh, I'm hoping all right.
I'm hoping.

One little yearling steer

don't seem like he'd be
that important, does it?

I don't know how he gets around.
I sure can't.

Hell, he ain't got to wear
these blooming things.

Yeah.

That's why I had Mr. Griggs
ride out with me,

so he'd know the truth.

It's not pleasant,
but we have to face facts.

Tyson, you lost half your herd
to winterkill.

Gorley...

I figure your loss is close to 60%.

You men sign these quitclaim deeds,
and you get paid cash right now.

- Ben.
- Ah, it's cold out there.



- Well, hello, Ben.
- Paul.

Dropped by the bank to see you.
Cashier told me I'd find you out here.

This is a business meeting.

Ah, yes, I'm sure it is, Mr. Quarry.

What'd he offer you?

$3 an acre.

$3 an acre.

You approve of this, Paul?

Cartwright, you're sticking your nose
in something that doesn't concern you.

Oh, it does concern me, Mr. Quarry.

The winterkill wiped out
more than half the cattle

on the east slope ranches,
including the Ponderosa,

so it concerns me very much.

Well, it takes money to restock,
and money we don't have.

Yes, it does take money, Ed,
but that's what banks are for.

I just told Mr. Tyson and Mr. Gorley
we're overextended.

The almanac says that next winter's
gonna be even worse than this one.

A livestock loan now would be
throwing good money after bad.

Paul, Mr. Tyson, Mr. Gorley,

and most of the ranchers around here

have been your customers
for a long time.

You made some pretty handsome
profits during the good times.

Now that times are bad, are you
gonna sell us down the river?

Ben, the bank can't stand
another winterkill.

It won't have to.

Because we're gonna breed cattle

that'll survive
the worst of our winters.

There ain't no such animal.

Oh, yes, there is, Mr. Quarry.

In Montana.

Now, they have winters
that are far worse

than anything we have around here,

and they breed cattle
that pull through any kind of weather.

Survival rate 90% or better.

90%?

That's right.

I was in Montana last fall,

and I brought back a steer yearling
and put him up in Sawtooth

just to see how he'd make out.

I went back up there
three weeks ago to check on him.

That little steer was just as
tough and hardy as can be

and foraging for himself.

I don't believe any of this.

There's a Grange meeting
three weeks from today.

My offer's open 'til then.

Coming, Griggs?

Gentlemen.

Hey, Hoss. Up there.

Sure looks fat and sassy to me.

Yeah.

Let's go!

Well, you know,
it's a community effort.

Cattlemen Association
will have to handle everything,

so I guess you'll be doing the buying.

Now, wait a minute, Ben.

I... I have to tell you,
I lived in Montana.

- Yeah. What are you having?
- Oh, rye would be fine.

The usual.

You know, I...
I went through a winter in Cut Bank.

Coldest place in the country.

- It's cold.
- Mm.

When spring came,

most ranchers had
more cowhands than cattle.

Now, there's no reason to believe

that Montana stock would be
any better down here.

Well, this is a new breed
of stock, though, you see.

Raised in Bitterroot Valley.

It's a cross between the oxen

which pulled the wagons
in from Missouri

and the cattle driven in from Oregon.

Well, if you've got a steer

that can live through
a whole winter in Sawtooth,

I might believe that.

I think we may have one.

Hey, Pa.

- Well?
- We're in luck.

He's still up there,
that tough son of a gun.

I wouldn't have believed it
if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

He's friskier than he was

when we brought him up
in September.

- Absolutely.
- What'd he measure?

There's no way
to get a measure of him.

We couldn't catch him.

We was on snowshoes. He wasn't.

Even though he was
belly deep sometimes,

he's still a whole lot friskier
than we was.

He's not hurting, though,
I'll guarantee ya.

Yeah, he's in great shape.

What'd I tell ya? A new breed.

Well, this can mean the saving
of a lot of ranches.

- Yes, including ours.
- A couple whiskeys.

I'll tell you what.

Let's go tell Gorley
and Tyson and Griggs

- about the steer yearling, huh?
- Uh-huh.

- And then we'll eat supper.
- Right.

Wish I could see their faces
when you tell 'em.

We'll see you later, Pa.

It's gonna be good.

One thing I like about winter...

No matter how cold it gets outside,
you can always stay warm inside.

Boy, if we could get
the cattle to drink this,

- they'd stay alive in Alaska.
- Ah!

Say, ain't you fellas
going over to the Grange hall?

- What for?
- What for?

For the drawing.

What drawing?

Three weeks from today.

It's gonna be the first Grange dinner
since freeze-up last fall.

It's gonna be a real barn buster.

Why, the boys are over there right now

cutting the cards to see
who's gonna supply the beef.

You know, we ought to get over there.

Somebody ought to
represent the Ponderosa.

Hey, Joe, I ain't even
thawed out yet.

Well, you can thaw out on the way.

As cold as it is out there?
It ain't gonna be easy.

You got plenty of insulation.
Come on, let's go.

Dad burn it.

Ah, come on, will ya?

I'm not a member.

Not you.

Nine of spades
for the Silver Leaf Ranch.

Hank, you're low man.

Hold it. Hold it.

This ain't official yet

till the Ponderosa's
had a chance to cut.

Oh, Hoss, Joe, you're just in time.

Give us a fresh cut
of them cards, Mr. Griggs.

- All right.
- Howdy.

- Hello, Hoss.
- Hi, how are you?

- Long time no see. Landis.
- Fine, thank you.

Figured I'd see you
at the Christmas party.

So did I.

Well, we had a lot of snow
out our way, Hoss.

We had to wait
'til the road was plowed.

I don't know, if I had
a good-looking wife like that,

I wouldn't mind being
snowbound for a while.

Low card supplies the beef.

Nine of spades is low right now.

Well, you want to cut 'em, Joe,
or you want me to?

- Nah, you do it. You're lucky.
- All right.

Six of diamonds. Low card.

Looks like we'll be eating
Ponderosa beef.

Well, you'll be eating
the best in the world, boys.

Take it from the man who just ate one.

Yeah, it's pretty obvious,
ain't it?

Well, I guess that about does it.

Everyone who belongs to the Grange
has cut except Mr. Quarry.

Well, Mr. Quarry's a very busy man.

Howie, you're the new foreman
for Mr. Quarry's Rocker T Ranch.

Why don't you cut for him?

Howie will be glad to. Uh...

Well, that was just
kind of a little joke, ma'am.

Not a very good one.

Well, Howie can cut for Mr. Quarry.

I mean, after all, the Rocker T
is Mr. Quarry's largest ranch,

and Howie is the foreman.

Well, like I said, ma'am,
it was just kind of a joke.

Well... Howie?

Give me the cards, Mr. Griggs.

Four of spades. Low card.

Rocker T supplies the beef.

Rocker T will be delighted.

Come on, honey,
let's buy you that coat.

Oh, well, see you at the party.

It's not her fault.
She didn't know any better.

Yeah, but Quarry's gonna scream
like a scalded cat.

Hey, maybe we could loan
old Howie a steer, huh?

How you gonna offer it to him?
He's too proud.

He's gonna feel like we're
putting him down in front of his wife.

- Yeah.
- Come on, let's go.

All right. Take it easy, Mr. Griggs.

Yeah. So long.

Oh, that's pretty.

It's just what I always wanted.

Well, it's just the beginning
of what you deserve,

living through a winter
snowbound with the likes of me.

Um, the coat cost more than I thought.

That's all right.

$4 more.

I... I... I can take it back.

No.

It was my idea.
I told you to buy it.

You're sweet.

I do want to look nice at the party.

Yeah, that party.

Ah, I'm sorry. It was my fault. I...

I shouldn't have said anything.

It would have helped.

Well, I had to say something.

I mean, the men at the Grange
were laughing at you.

Oh, wait a minute.

They were laughing at Jake Quarry.

He's never there
to see who supplies the beef,

but he's the first man at the table
when they start eating it.

He will donate the steer, won't he?

I doubt it.

Oh, well, we can't afford that.

I'll take the coat back.

No.

You'll wear it to the party.

I am sorry.

Howie, maybe you're wrong.

I... I mean, the least you can do
is ask him.

I'll do that right now.

- Landis.
- Mr. Quarry.

Heard you were in town.

Well, we had to come in.
We're out of just about everything.

I wanted to ask, uh...

Ask me to the Grange dinner?
That's big of you.

I hear you're supplying the beef.

Well, I thought Rocker T would.

Did I say that?

No, but the other ranchers give...

Giving what they can't afford.

That's why the other ranchers
are in trouble.

You're a long way
from the Rocker T.

You got a lot of work
to do out there.

Landis.

A lot of men are out of work.

If I find one steer
missing from the tally sheet,

you're gonna be out of work too.

What are we going to do?

I don't know.

I guess I'll have to go up on the hill
and find some meat.

Well, we're in trouble, all of us.

I visited every east slope ranch.
They're all in the same fix.

Cattle turn their backs to the wind,
they're driven up against the fences,

they pile up there,
and they freeze to death.

Well, little Montana steer
is gonna save us, huh?

Yes. Yes, I think so.

But we're gonna have to convince
Griggs and the other bankers

before they'll lend us the money
to buy the herd.

That isn't gonna be easy.

Oh, why not?

Well, Griggs is doubtful.
So are the the other bankers.

You two didn't get close enough
to that yearling to take his measure.

Griggs is afraid
that he's skin and bones

and is ready to keel over.

Well, let him try throwing
a loop on that steer.

He'll think he roped
a full-grown buffalo.

Well, Griggs is a banker.
He's not a cattleman.

But he is willing
to look at the animal

once you two bring him down.

Pa, we're feeding tomorrow.

We're gonna need
all the hands we got.

I can help.

You've got to go to school, young fella.

Day after tomorrow
he comes down, huh?

Jamie, you got work to do.

Yes, sir.

Oh, boy.

All the way up on Sawtooth
in that snow and ice again.

Mm.

Never thought I'd wish
I was back in school.

Yeah. Lucky kid.

Well...

plenty of steer tracks
but no fresh ones, huh?

How can you tell they ain't fresh?

The snow on the inside
of the track's all melted.

Uh-huh.

Take a look at our tracks.

They're just a couple of minutes old,
and they're all melted.

I hate to say it, but you're right.

Yeah.

There are some more over yonder,

but like you say,
they ain't fresh neither.

Oh, how do you tell
when they're fresh?

Well, you see, little brother,

you can always tell
when steer tracks are fresh

when the steer is still standing in 'em.

Those are fresh tracks.

Howie!

I was beginning to worry.
You've been gone so long.

Nothing to worry about.

Oh, you found an elk!

Oh, that's wonderful!

Now we won't have to explain

why we couldn't supply the beef
for the Grange dinner.

You look hungry.

I'll go start supper.

Somebody's been running
all over this slope.

Yeah.

Looks of these tracks,
it must have been a hunter, huh?

Yeah, could be.

It's getting pretty icy.

Yeah. Well, it's getting dark.

Well, we better make camp, huh?

We're not gonna see anything
this late.

No. It's gonna get cold
in a minute anyhow.

What do you mean in a minute?
I'm freezing now.

Let's get these bedrolls undone.

Let's move up here
behind these rocks,

get out of the wind, huh?

Thanks.

Howie?

Howie, what's wrong?

You found an elk.
I'd think you'd be happy.

Unless you're still mad at me.

I found a steer.

Elk, steer, same difference.

It's all good meat.

Not exactly.

An elk's wild,
belongs to the man that finds it.

But a steer, that's property,

belongs to somebody,
wears the owner's brand.

And that's what you found?
A branded steer?

And shot and brought home.

A man ought to be sure
before he shoots.

Out there in the snow
20 miles from here,

any branded cattle ought to be.

Pine Tree brand.
Ben Cartwright's steer.

It's my fault.

I didn't have to cut the cards.

There ain't a cowhand alive
that don't know any better

than to shoot first and then look.

Don't you think
Mr. Cartwright will understand?

I hope so.

Finish the chores tomorrow,
I'm gonna ride over and tell him.

I'll give him this.
That'll pay for the steer.

It's been in your family
for a long time.

My granddad, my pa, me.

Well, maybe Mr. Cartwright will
hang on to it and let me buy it back.

Hey, Hoss?

Yeah?

You awake?

No.

Are you thinking
about getting awake?

Mm-hmm.

Good.

It's your turn to stoke that fire.

I was thinking about it
come spring thaw.

Oh, come on.
We got that yearling to find.

I tell you what. I'll flip you for it.

Okay. Heads.

Ah, dad burn it.

I always say you ought to find out
what your foreman's up to,

drop in on him unexpectedly.

Looks like you didn't listen.

Looks like you helped yourself
to one of my steers anyway.

It ain't one of yours, Mr. Quarry.

Pine Tree?

Looks like I've got a rustler
on my payroll.

It was an accident.
I was hunting elk.

I saw the steer.
I thought it was a maverick.

Where?

Sawtooth.

That's miles from any other
Ponderosa stock.

You shot yourself a branded steer.

That's rustling, pure and simple.

Members of
the Cattlemen's Association

all agreed before they joined

to prosecute all rustlers,
no exceptions.

Cartwright may be a friend of yours,
but it won't help you.

You're gonna have to stand trial.

Another thing.

Cartwright values this steer
more than any animal he ever owned.

You couldn't have got yourself
in more trouble

if you'd shot one of his sons.

Of course, rustling one beef
or a whole herd, same thing.

Five-years prison term's
the least you can get.

Unless you run into a mean judge.
Then, you might get 16 years.

Anyone see you up there on Sawtooth
or on the way back?

No, nobody.

You and I are the only ones
who know about it?

My wife knows. I told her.

Well, you can keep her quiet.

You do something for me
and I'll forget I ever saw this steer.

Oh, come on. It's no big chore.

You just ride over to the Cartwrights'

and tell him you saw his steer
up in Sawtooth

down and dying, winterkill.

I'll tell him all right,
but I ain't gonna lie.

You'll do what I tell ya,
or I'll talk to the sheriff,

and you'll spend a lot of years
away from home.

Do you love your wife?

I doubt she'll be here
when you get out.

Seems to me there's more
to this than just one lie.

I'm just trying to help you.

No.

Somehow you're trying
to make money out of all this.

But it won't matter anyway.

If they value that steer
the way you told me they do,

they'll go looking for it.

Not 'til next spring.
Don't you worry about it.

I'll worry if they don't find it.

Now, just...

don't you worry about it.

You, uh... do as I say
and ride over there and say your piece.

Or go to prison?

And lose your wife.

You go now,
you could be back by dark.

You look far, far away.

You caught me.

Well, whatever it was, you look happy.

Mm-hmm.

Well, tell me about it.
I could use a happy thought.

You have so many worries
of your own.

I'll tell you some other time.

Oh, I do have a problem or two.

I can guess what it is.

You're happy because
winter's just about over.

I certainly am.

You know, I... I'm not used to
not having a lot of people around me.

You know, my... my big family.

Howie...

you know, I...
I wouldn't have been able

to have made it without you.

Sure you could have.

Mnh-mnh.

I don't have your courage.

Well, there are a lot of people

who are snowed in
all winter all alone.

I'm afraid I...
I wouldn't be able to make it.

But next winter it'll be better.

Maybe.

Should be easier next winter.
You've been through one.

Oh, I don't mean that.

I won't be alone next winter.

There'll be three of us.

Are you sure?

Absolutely!

I didn't want to tell you, but I...

I'll drive you to the doctor tomorrow.

No.

I feel fine.

I... well, I get a little queasy
in the morning, but that's natural.

You are pleased, aren't you?

Of course I'm pleased.

Ohh...

I'm glad you told me now.

Kind of makes things
clearer for me.

I'll be back before dark.

Are you going to the Cartwrights'?

Yeah.

Are you going to take the watch?

Sure. Thanks for reminding me.

I was up on Sawtooth hunting elk,

and I saw one of your steers,
Mr. Cartwright.

It was in a pretty bad way.

So thin, the bones were about to
poke through the hide.

Fell while I was watching
and couldn't get up.

Looked to me like he was winterkilled.

You sure he was dead?

I'm sure.

I've seen too much of it
this winter to be wrong.

Well, I was just riding by.
I thought you'd like to know.

Yeah.

Well...

There's no use us waiting around
for Hoss and Joe.

Turns out your Montana breed
was not as hardy as you hoped.

It's a shame.

If that steer had survived,

we might have seen our way clear
to loan you money

to buy Montana stock.

As it is, it would be a waste.

- Oof.
- Oh, hi, Joe.

Hey, Jamie. Where's Pa?

In the kitchen.

Hey, Pa?

Yep.

Ooh, is it a cold goose out there.

- Oh, wow.
- Hey, we couldn't find that yearling.

No, I didn't think you would.

How come?

Well, Howie came by
soon after you'd left

and told me he'd been up there
and he'd seen the steer die.

Die of what?

The winterkill.

Oh, I find that pretty hard to believe.

Yeah, that steer
we saw up there four days ago

sure wasn't suffering
no hunger pangs.

- Mm.
- If he lasted the whole winter,

that last storm
wasn't gonna hurt him any.

I know, I know, I know, I know.

Howie's a good friend,
but I still can't figure out

why he'd spend a whole day
in the saddle

just to tell us that he'd seen
one of our dead steers.

Hey, did he know how important
that steer was to us?

Well, Jake Quarry knows,
and Howie works for him.

Well, then, Howie knows.
I think he's lying.

I don't think he ever saw
that steer die from winterkill.

Well...

we're just guessing.

That really isn't fair.

Let's ride up there tomorrow morning,

and this time we'll look
for a winterkilled steer,

not one that's up and running.

Why don't you fellas get cleaned up?

It's getting pretty deep up here.

Let's tether 'em to
that clump of trees down there.

That snow is deep.

Yeah.

Last time we saw him, Pa,

that steer was right up there
among them rocks

making like a mountain goat.

And he outran ya.

Some. Course, he had one advantage.

He didn't have on
none of these dang snowshoes.

He was just playing games with us.

Ran circles around us
a couple of times.

That sure doesn't sound
like a weak and starving animal to me.

Well... he wasn't.

He sure was not that day.

He was as healthy
as big brother there.

Yeah.

Howie said the last time
he saw that yearling,

he'd fallen down among the rocks
up in the meadow.

And I still say Howie's lying.

Well, he should be
easy enough to find.

Ain't but one meadow up there.

All right, that's where we'll look.

Once we get up there, we'll split.

We'll be able to cover
three times as much ground that way.

I've got an axe in my saddlebag.

We'll need some poles
to poke the drifts.

Yeah.

I'll get it.

Any luck?

- No, nothing.
- Ah...

- Yeah.
- I'll tell you one thing.

There's no winterkill steer up there.

I think I'd like to talk to Howie again.

Come on.

- Howdy.
- Ah, howdy.

I'm glad you stopped by.
I didn't expect you over this way.

Well, we were just up on Sawtooth
for that yearling of ours.

Couldn't find a trace of him.

Well, it's a big flat up there.
Rocks and trees at the north end.

Makes kind of a meadow.
You know what I mean?

Yeah, that's where we were.

That's where I saw him.
Fell against the rocks.

Well, we searched that whole area.

Well, he must be under a drift.

Ah, we poked around
every drift on that mountainside.

He ain't up there.

Well, I could have sworn
he was down for good.

He must have got up and moved.

That shape you said he was in,
he couldn't move very far, could he?

We didn't find him.

I told you what I saw.

I didn't hang around
to watch your steer die.

Howie...

just your prints up there and ours.

Nobody else's.

Now, I'm asking you as a friend,

all you saw was our dying steer?

That's all. I swear it.

Why don't you come in and get warm,
have a bite to eat before you go?

Another time, Howie.
Let's move on, Hoss.

Aren't they coming in?

Well, I made fresh co...

Howie, I thought you told me
that everything was all right

between you and the Cartwrights.

Well, it seems
the Cattlemen's Association members

made some sort of an agreement
to prosecute rustlers,

and I might be prosecuted.

Why, you're not a rustler.

I know that,
and the Cartwrights know it.

I don't know. It's something legal.

It all started
when you cut those cards,

and it's my fault.

I wanted everyone to know
that you were the foreman

of the Rocker T.

Because I'm proud of you.

Proud of me? Why?

Take me all day to tell you that.

Just seems like lately
we've been so far apart.

Well, I've had other things
on my mind.

I know you're in trouble...

but as long as we face it together,
good, bad, rich, poor,

it doesn't matter
as long as we have each other.

Even if I go to jail for rustling?

You're not going to go to jail.

I'll tell the judge,

and if he doesn't believe me,
I'll scratch his eyes out.

Fire and brimstone.

You talk a good fight,
but you couldn't hurt anybody.

Neither could you.

Well, in the fix I'm in...

no matter what I do,
we're both gonna be hurt.

Howie, I love you.

And no matter what happens,
I always will.

Sorry I'm late, boys.

You didn't miss anything.

Quarry's at it again.

You gentlemen are in for a treat.

Rocker T beef
donated by Jake Quarry.

It's the best, you'll see.

Evening, ladies.
Nevada's best beef coming up.

Donated by Jake Quarry.

Excuse me.

He sure is a busy man, isn't he?

Put a saddle on him,
he'd make a great cutting horse.

He's already cornered Tyson.
Now he's working on Gorley.

Soup's on, folks.

Ed, can I talk to you a minute
before you sit down?

You sign that quitclaim deed tonight,
and I'll give you the cash.

I got it on me.

Price is still $3 an acre?

That's right, which is
still more than you'll get

from anybody else.
I got the deed on me.

I'll have to think on it, Mr. Quarry.

I hear your Montana steer
didn't make it.

So I hear.

That's too bad.

Griggs, does that mean
the bank loan won't go through

on the Montana herd?

Don't talk business
at social gatherings, Mr. Quarry.

Don't blame ya.

Rocker T!

Fine beef, if I do say so myself.

Rocker T beef

compliments of Jake Quarry.

Rocker T beef.

Rocker T beef
compliments of Jake Quarry.

Compliments of Jake Quarry.

Listen, everybody.

This ain't Rocker T beef.

It's Cartwright beef.
Montana beef.

That's a lie.

You wouldn't donate, Quarry.

You almost fired me
when I asked you too.

Well, you're fired now!

Montana beef. I shot it.

Landis, you keep your mouth shut!

Hold it, Quarry.

Go ahead, Howie.

You've been hearing how
the Cartwright yearling

was winterkilled.

That just ain't so.

I shot it in four feet of snow
up on Sawtooth

thinking it was a maverick.

I had to chase it for an hour
to get it in my sights.

That's a lie.

It's the truth!

I suppose you were there.

No, I wasn't there,

but I was in the yard
when Howie brought the steer

back down from the mountain.

One of 'em lies,
and the other swears to it.

They're in on this with Cartwright.

They're trying to get that bank loan
so they can get that Montana herd.

That stock ain't as good
as what we breed right here.

Now, I don't care what Landis says,
this... this is Rocker beef!

I can prove I shot that steer
up on Sawtooth.

I can show you
where I dressed it out.

All right, Howie,
we'll take you up on that.

We'll ride up with you
first thing in the morning.

- You'll need witnesses.
- I'll be there.

I don't like horseback riding
in the snow, but I'll be there.

I think I may eat this now.

Well, let's get into these shoes.

About as far as we're able
to get on the horses.

This is the part
I could do without up here.

Yeah.

Since no one wants to believe me,
I thought I'd come along

to see what Mr. Landis
has to show you.

Any objections?

Your privilege.
It's government property.

Everybody ready?

Yeah.

All right, let's go.

I never knew snowshoes
could be so tricky.

I spent half my time
falling down and getting up.

It'll take you a little while
to get used to 'em.

I think this is
my first and last attempt.

Howie, how much further
do we have to go?

Oh, three, maybe four miles.

You covered the whole ridge
looking for elk?

No, sir. I came up the south slope.
It's near the Rocker T.

Time I got to the top
is when I saw the steer.

Landis, you want us to really believe
you shot a steer in country like this?

I shot it, and you know it.

Cartwright, you offer him a job?

No. I didn't even know
he needed one 'til last night.

He's hoping you will.

He's hoping you'll hire him on

to help bring
that Montana herd down.

That's why he made up
the story about the steer.

It's true.

Oh, yeah.

He's gonna walk our legs off
'til we can't move,

and there won't be nothing there
'cause there's nothing to find.

There is.

You swear to that?

Yeah, I swear.

All right, raise your right hand
and swear.

I swear.

Gentlemen, the man's a rustler.

Arrest him.

Well, not quite yet, Mr. Quarry.

Landis, you can't even
lie yourself into jail!

Hold it. Hold it.

Hold it!

- Hold it, Howie.
- Howie, Howie, Howie.

- Hold it. Hold it.
- Hold it now.

Come on, Howie.

Finding that steer's
the important thing.

You fellas are gonna need
all the energy

walking around these hills now.

Howie, you just prove
you shot that steer

and you'll be helping all of us.

And I promise you
there'll be no prosecution.

I'm ready to go whenever you are.

All right, let's go right now, huh?

Hold it!

Hey, what's that down there?

Winterkill, huh?

- Yeah.
- What brand?

Pine Tree.

What brand?

I said Pine Tree.

There's your Montana steer.

I guess that shows you
who's right, Mr. Griggs.

No, I shot that Montana steer!
I'll show you where I dressed it out.

Sure, you can show us
where you dressed it out.

Show us some blood, huh?

How do we know
it isn't from a deer or an elk?

Hoss, take a look at the brand.

Looks a little wide and thick, don't it?

Yeah, look at that little hump.
That was never in our brand.

Yeah, it looks like
a running iron has been used on that.

Cartwright...
you trying to get out from under?

If the brand's in question,

there must be some way
to prove who's right.

There is.

I'll skin that brand off,

and if it's an honest
and original brand,

then on the bottom side of the hide
it'll all be the same color.

And if it isn't, the change'll show up.

Well, if a running iron's been used,

it'll be admissible
as evidence in court.

Down there all right?

Yeah.

I brought the steer up here.

That's all I'm going to say.

If I were in your place,
I wouldn't talk either.

Attempted murder
and using a running iron.

Denman...

It's your responsibility
to get me to a doctor.

Oh, we'll get you there.

Shames me that I lied to you
about that steer.

Well, Quarry threatened
to send you to jail if you didn't lie.

That's what he said.

Threats and duress
wouldn't stand up in court.

Howie, everything's gonna be all right.
You're a good foreman.

And there are plenty
of places around here

for a good foreman.

Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.

Marie will be happy to know
that you think that way.

Well, you be sure
and tell her I said so.

I will.

Joseph, if we took the south slope,

we could get Howie home two or three
hours sooner, couldn't we?

Darn right.

Then, he could see his wife
two or three hours sooner.

That's all right with me.

Well, let's get to moving now then.