Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 13, Episode 14 - Warbonnet - full transcript

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You feel all right, you talk now.

Why you walk in the desert?

Bringing this mare home.

She stumbled
and fell and broke her leg

Where you go?

Virginia City.

It's about a two or three days' ride
from here.

We take you to Mills,
white man's town.

Much obliged. I want to thank you.



My name's Joe Cartwright.

Red Cloud.

Swift Eagle, son of my son.

How are you?

I'm sure obliged to you
for going out of your way.

We go Mills anyway.

Well, I guess I can get a stage in Mills
back to Virginia City.

Dadburnit, I must have dropped
my wallet when that horse fell.

Maybe somebody find you,
take from you.

No. Not much of a man
would do a thing like that.

Some people no good.

Hey, well, you know, I, uh,
fell all the way down that hill, too.

I probably lost it there.

There wasn't much money in it.
It wasn't worth anything.



You lose your horse,

saddle, water, money.

White man plenty smart.

I did not take the wallet.

You tell truth?

Yes.

Then it's time you tell
white man you take gun.

I can't.

You tell.

You eat.

You sleep.

Long ride tomorrow.

You safe with Indian.

Red Cloud stop here.

I thought that town was
just around the next hill.

Red Cloud camp here.

You go.

Where do you want to go?

Well, you can just drop me off
at the sheriff's office.

What's the matter?

What do you want with the sheriff?

To borrow some money from.

Look, I never did think
you took that wallet,

if that's what's bothering you.

All I know is if you
hadn't have helped me,

I'd be dead right now.

Well, this is my stop.

Thanks a lot.

Hey, is the sheriff around?

What's he doing off the reservation?

I don't know. I didn't ask him.

Do you know where the sheriff is?

- Over there.
- Thanks.

Hey, Sheriff, glad to find you.
My name's Joe Cartwright.

So?

- Howdy, Joe Cartwright.
- How are you?

Look, my horse broke
his leg out in the desert.

I was lucky to make it to town.

Lost my wallet, besides.

- That Indian find you?
- Yeah.

Well, good thing he rode out there.
Saved you some work, huh?

Look, I, I hate to bother you,

but I just wonder if you
could loan me enough money

so I could send a wire to my pa
and get my stage fare.

I'd be much obliged.

That's not my business.

Look, I'm gonna pay you back
right away.

Hey, don't bother about him.

He got out of the wrong side
of the bed 40 years ago

and it took permanent.

The trouble with you is,

you fall for every
hard luck story you hear.

He's got a nice honest face.
You can see that, Tom.

Well, at least you can see it
after he gets a shave.

Here. Get yourself
a shave and a bath

after you send off that wire.

It's all right. Go on.
My name's Ryan.

- Frank Ryan.
- Hi, there.

Nice to make your acquaintance, Joe.

Thank you very much, Mr. Ryan.

Nice to meet a friendly face.

Oh, after you get all bathed
and shaved and prettied up,

come on back here
I'll buy you a drink and a meal.

You, you've done enough
for me already.

It's all right. The price is right here.

I own the place.

Like you say, the price is right.
I'll take you up on it. Thank you.

- All right.
- Thanks, Sheriff.

I swear, you've grubstaked so many,
the word's gotten around.

Yeah, well, it pleasures me.

Ah!

Yes, sir, a soldier, Indian fighter,
second to none.

Tried ranching for a while,

but he's the kind that
likes towns and people.

Yeah, runs the best bar in town.

Yes sir,
serves a good drink at a fair price.

Serves good food, too.

Sounds like you like him.

Oh, everybody likes him.

In all my years here,

I never heard of anybody
that didn't like Frank Ryan.

Why, we even tried to
get him to run for governor,

but he likes doing what he's doing.

Why, this town would give him
anything he wants.

But, if you want my guess,
he'll be our next U.S. Senator.

Oh!

Got to say, though,
he does pour a good drink.

Well, now, I certainly do hope
that you enjoyed your meal.

It was delicious. Thank you.

Can I get anything else
for you, Frank?

Well, maybe later, huh?

Oh, there are seconds, if you like.

I couldn't eat another bite. Thank you.

You were lucky
those Paiutes found you.

Yeah. Wonder what they
were doing off the reservation.

I don't know. They don't say much.

Well, they could be in
a lot of trouble being here

without the Indian agent's okay.

Well, not that I agree with them
being penned up like that.

I mean, they owned this country

long before our folks
was speaking English.

You kind of surprise me.

You don't hear that kind of talk
around here very much.

Well, I think what I like and I speak it

in spite of the fact that
I've had some kind of

unfriendly dealings with
the Indians from time to time.

That warbonnet there
harks back to one such time.

I was noticing that.
You got quite a collection.

Don't get him started on them.

Oh, now, I don't gab
all that much about them.

They're just some souvenirs.

They must be souvenirs of
pretty big doings,

according to your local barber.

Oh, that barber's a gossip.

Well, then,
so is the telegraph operator.

He told me the same stories.

Frank's the town hero.

Well, not to everybody.

You know, I could tell you some tales

that would pop your eyes out,
if I wanted to.

That warbonnet, it's been
hanging there for 15 years,

but I recollect
like it was just yesterday.

Oh, Teresa, would you bring us
a couple more beers, please?

I found it.

There we go.

Hey, thank you very much.

Hey!

Get up.

Get up.

Elias.

I got your bonnet for you, Frank.

Chief.

- You all right?
- Yeah.

- What happened?
- Injun started a ruckus.

What? An old man and a boy?

What about it, Mr. Ryan?

Go get the sheriff, Elias.

I want those Indians locked up
until the agent can come

and take them back
to the reservation.

Cartwright here tells me
you need a doctor.

I'll send for one,
if you've got the money.

I have.

No doctor.

There you are.

If he is hurt, he don't want help.

Well, he'll get plenty of rest.
He'll be in jail for a week.

- For what?
- Being an Indian.

Mind if I talk to him?

You rattle when you want out.

Suppose we start with you telling me
why you tried to take that warbonnet.

Warbonnet mine.

They took it from him.

Look, Chief, I owe you.

I want to try to help you if I can.

Red Cloud no need help.

I think you do.

You're in jail and you're in trouble,

unless you have permission
to be off the reservation.

No.

Now, if I could get you that permission,
would you accept my help?

- No.
- Yes.

All right, I'll wire my father.
He'll contact the Indian agent.

I must have your promise
you won't try to take the warbonnet.

You have my promise.

What about you?

You have my word.

That's good enough for me.

Sheriff?

Your friend Elias is a savage.

All right, Teresa.

The way he attacked that old man,
I thought he would kill him.

The Indian asked for it,
coming in here the way he did.

Not that kind of beating.

Don't light on Frank, Teresa.
He didn't start it.

Can't you see
he's upset enough as it is?

I should have known it was Red Cloud

the minute that Joe
said they were Paiutes.

Well, who'd want to take
that stuff anyway,

after it's been
hanging up there for so long?

There are some things that
a man doesn't forget.

And some things a woman
doesn't forget, either.

May, why don't you run along?
Teresa and I can finish up.

Oh, Frank, I'm not tired,
and I really would like to stay,

and I I have a lot of stuff
I have to do.

No, no, no.
Just go get a good night's rest.

Oh, Teresa.

I'd like to talk to you.

It's been a long time
since we had a real talk.

Uh...

I, uh, missed you.

- All of a sudden?
- No.

When? Last week?

Last month?

Last year, you missed me?

Uh, Teresa, why don't you, uh
why don't you sit down, huh?

Go. Go on.

You know, I've been thinking
about us for a long time.

I wanted to talk to you
about it before, but, uh

well, you know yourself,
you're pretty hard to reach.

I wasn't always.

No, you were wonderful.

And I can't blame you
for being sore at me.

Any woman would be.

I tried to explain it to you,

that it wasn't because
I didn't love you.

There were a lot of reasons
we couldn't get married.

One reason, Frank.

You couldn't face this town
with a Mexican wife.

Oh, no. It wasn't that.

Uh, we talked about it.

You well, you even said
that you understood.

Oh, yes, I understood,
as long as we were together.

But we haven't been together
for a long time.

Well, things happen.

Things? You call those things?

You mean Celeste and Josie and...

They, they didn't mean anything to us.

Well then, I feel sorry for you.

Look, I'm not here to talk about them.

Why can't we go back to the way
things were before?

We can't.

Well, then, why did you stay
all, all these years?

Where would I go?

Another job like this?

You're a beautiful woman.

- I mean, any man in the world...
- Another man?

I am a one man's woman, Frank,

and I loved you.

Maybe if you gave me a chance, uh,
you could again, huh?

Oh, no. It's too late now.

There was one time
when I would have

walked on my knees in the desert,
if you had asked me to.

I would have done anything for you.

Anything.

Today, I will only not betray you.

That's what this
is all about, isn't it?

That's the question.
Now you have the answer.

Well, it wasn't exactly...

Go ahead, Frank.

Go ahead.

May is waiting for you.

Well, believe me,
I take no pleasure in saying no,

but the Bureau of Indian Affairs
rules are such

that I'm given little choice.

- There are no exceptions?
- Well, rarely.

Now, now this, this will show you why.

Now, these are complaints,
50 or 60 of them,

in the past two years alone,
from people badgered

and terrorized by Indians
off the reservation,

and I have to investigate

and file a report on each one of them.

Well, an old man and a boy

are certainly not going to
terrorize anybody.

Old man? He's a chief.

If he goes on a rampage,
his whole tribe will follow him.

Red Cloud hasn't made
any trouble in years.

Maybe he hasn't, but others have.

But you give permission sometimes.

I said I did, for good cause.

There's a standard procedure.

There has to be a written request.

The final decision
is up to Washington.

But, Mr. Mattheson, that'd take weeks.

No doubt.

Are you saying that even
if there were an emergency,

you couldn't make a decision?

In my opinion,
this is not an emergency

not while those Indians
are still in jail.

Now, I am sorry, gentlemen.

Well, Mr. Mattheson, this, uh

this does present a problem
to you, doesn't it?

- I mean, a financial problem?
- Yes.

Well, to, uh to get Red Cloud

and Swift Eagle back to Mills,

you'd have to have an escort
of at least two men.

That means paying wages
and a per diem.

Yes.

And, uh, then to get them
back to the reservation,

that would mean paying wages
and a trail salary.

Yeah.

Now, I think we could
probably help you out.

If you put them
in the custody of my son,

he'd get them back to the reservation,
and it wouldn't cost you a penny.

And you wouldn't have
anything to explain

to the government auditor.

Uh, that
that would be most irregular.

Most irregular.

It'd save the government
an awful lot of money.

It certainly would.
A tremendous amount.

Uh, any. any complaints
I get, your son will answer for?

Well, of course.

Uh, he'll indemnify

for any thefts or damages
that may occur?

Yes, I think we can see to that.

Uh, uh, very well.

Uh, I'll, uh I'll wire
the sheriff to that effect.

Well, thank you.
Thank you very much.

Yeah. Good day, Mr. Mattheson.

Oh, how'd it work out?

Ah, Jamie, Pa handled it just fine.

I hope that Joe can handle it as easily.

Mmhmm.

I hear one complaint against them,
you join them here next time.

That's very fair of you, Sheriff.

Here you go, Chief.

The hotel won't put you up,
but you might try the livery stable.

- Thanks for telling us.
- Not so fast, Cartwright.

You got to read
and sign this before you go.

Why don't you go on?
I'll meet you at the livery stable.

It's amazing, Sheriff
for a man who wasn't there,

you sure got all the facts.

What?

Do you know what you're saying?

Red Cloud know.

Is only way to keep honor.

Tomorrow, sun up, noon, we fight.

You use cavalry sabre.

Red Cloud use lance, as in battle.

After fight,

warbonnet belong to man
who stay alive.

No.

Look, Red Cloud,
you're my responsibility,

and I'm not gonna
let you break the peace.

No break peace.

- Just fight one man.
- One man, a thousand men,

it doesn't make any difference
it's the same thing.

I still fight.

There's one way I can stop you.

Now, I don't want to use it,
but I will if I have to.

What way?

I can take you over
to that sheriff's office

and have him lock you up
until the agents get here.

I told you we could not trust him.

Look, maybe you don't care
if your grandfather gets killed,

but I do.

But you don't care, do you?

It's what you want, isn't it?

I'm sorry, Chief. I can't let it happen.

I want you to promise me
you'll stay in this room

until I get back.

I stay 'til tomorrow.

Did I hear right, Frank?
That old coot challenge you to a fight?

You heard it.

What's he gonna do,
gum you to death?

Oh.

Oh, boy.

What's that old man
trying to do to me?

I can't fight him.

You're not going to, are you?

Makes me look bad,
challenging me like that

in front of all my friends.

- No. It's a bluff, that's what.
- No, it isn't.

He's counting on me
not wanting to look bad,

like hurting him
or maybe killing him.

He knows he can't
stand up against me.

That's what I mean.

You know what that warbonnet
means to him.

It's a matter of pride. It's his honor.

Give it back to him, Frank.

I've got a little honor, too.

If I give him that warbonnet,
I'd be a laughingstock.

Is that so important?

Yes.

All right, he wants a fight,
I'm gonna give it to him,

but I am not gonna be
the one who gets killed.

No.

That Indian's gonna die tomorrow
and you can stop it.

Look, all I know is,
they're your responsibility.

Indian agent's wire said so.

Look, he's an old man.
You can't let him fight Ryan.

Never heard of any fight.

Even if I did,
it'd probably be over

by the time I could stop it.

You better be getting back to
your responsibility, Cartwright.

The town must be real proud,
having you for a sheriff.

Mr. Cartwright.

Look, I told you to stay inside.
What are you doing out here?

Wait for you.

All right, I'm here. What do you want?

When I find you in desert,

I take your gun and I left you.

You would have been dead
if Red Cloud had not guessed.

I'm glad you told me.

So, you will let Red Cloud
take warbonnet in battle?

No, I can't.

Your grandfather saved my life.
I owe him the same favor.

He want no favor from white man.

Well, he's gonna get one,
whether he likes it or not.

You can stop working on the lance.
You're not gonna use it.

Red Cloud fight.

There's not gonna be
a fight, I told you that

even if I have to tie you up.

You tie me up.

When I get loose, I fight.

Only way you stop me,

you take lance
and you kill me now.

Here it is.

You wanted it. Go on, take it.

Don't you understand?
I'm trying to give you the warbonnet.

On one condition that is,
you get on your horses right now.

That way, you'll get through
the worst of the desert

before that noon sun fries your brains.

You want me to take bonnet
if I ride away at night.

No, no, no. That's not exactly...

Look, it's better to get through
the desert at night.

I was just thinking of you.

You think of yourself
and how you look to the town.

You want me to ride away
like coyote, without honor.

No, no. That's not...

And you say Red Cloud old fool,
thief, not worth chasing.

Listen, I'm trying to be nice to him.

This is my last offer.
Take it or leave it.

Do you think you can make him
understand that?

If you come up against me tomorrow,
I'm gonna have to kill you.

If that be it, all right.

Tomorrow I take it or lose it,
with honor.

You and your honor.

Where's Ryan?

Do you want to make
a little bet on today's match?

Name your own odds.

We'll cover anything
you want to put up.

The undertaker holds the stakes.

Save your breath.
There's not gonna be a fight.

- Ryan figures different.
- Where is he?

He's in the office.

- He doesn't want to be disturbed.
- Too bad.

Get up.

Hold it!

You know, Cartwright,
you've really riled me.

I think it's time you cooled your heels
over at my little hotel.

Bring him along, boys.

Hey, Frank!

That fool Injun's doing it.
He's out there, waiting for you.

Well, I expected he would be.

You try to figure redskins.

After all this time,
he comes after them feathers

like he had a right to them
or something.

- Hmm.
- He's loco, that's what,

thinking he can stand up to you.

I guess Frank's gonna give him
what's coming to him, all right.

Yeah, you'll teach him a lesson
no Indian'll ever forget, Frank.

Oh, my!
Hey, come on, everybody.

Ryan!

Ryan, don't do it!

Ryan, for God's sake,
he's an old man!

I'm not gonna fight you, Red Cloud.

We must.

The warbonnet is yours. Take it.

We must fight to keep honor.

No need for that.

I didn't take it with honor.

Teresa.

Frank, what are you going to do?

Something I should
have done a long time ago.

Give back something I stole.

A man's honor.

You and I know the truth about this.

All the stories I told were lies,

like all the stories I told

about those things
that hang on my wall.

I scrounged most of them

so I'd look tall
in the eyes of this town.

But now, its time for everybody
to know the truth.

I never met you in that battle.
I never even saw you.

That came later.

My friends and I got drunk,

went to the stockade
where you were being held prisoner.

And my friends held you
on the ground like an animal,

and I took this warbonnet off you.

That is the truth of how it happened,
isn't it, Red Cloud?

It's true.

I am the only man here
today without honor.

You've always had yours,

and you proved it here today.

It sometimes takes
great courage to tell the truth.

More courage than to fight.

You're an honorable man,
Frank Ryan.

I take warbonnet.

You shamed yourself
in front of this whole town.

You know that, Frank?

You shamed yourself,
but you shamed me, too.

Some hero you turned out to be,
crawling before them redskins.

You had no right.
They are nothing but Indians.

And you, you're only
a stupid, selfish little girl.

You have no right
to talk to me like that, you Mexican.

Shut up, May.

Frank.

Why don't you just go away, please?

Just go away.

Well, she's just saying what
the whole town is saying, Teresa.

Frank, it's only
what you think that matters.

Mmhmm.

You know what I think?

I think, Tess, it's about time
that I started to live

who I really am,
instead of who I have pretended to be.

- Mmhmm.
- Mmhmm?

Sheriff decided to let me out.

We're gonna head back
to the reservation.

I want to pay you back
the money you loaned me.

Got yourself a heck of a man.