Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 13, Episode 22 - He Was Only Seven - full transcript

Jamie's 7-year-old friend, Jonah Morgan, is badly wounded when he and Jamie walk into the Virginia City Bank during a robbery by the evil Springer gang. The boy later dies of his injuries. Joe and Jamie accompany Jonah's grief-har...

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That wind's blowing in cold
from the north.

I bet you there'll
be snow on the ground

before we get back from Sacramento.

That's a good bet.

Joe, if it looks like we'll be
longer than three weeks,

we'll send you a wire.

All right, Pa.

And keep an eye on Jamie.

Yeah, will do,
As soon as you're on that stage,



I'll head over to the school.
He wanted to go into town with me.

- Dadburn that wind!
- Yeah.

I'm glad we're not making
this trip on horseback.

So is your horse.

You sure you want to listen

to a whole bunch
of business talk all day?

I got nothin' better to do.

Pretty gal like Ellen Stevens
was makin' big eyes at me,

I'd hotfoot it over to her place
for some pie and a little socializin'.

Well, I don't happen to like pie.

Neither did I at your age.

- Hey.
- Huh?

How you doing, Jonah?

Howdy, Joe, Jamie.



- Whatcha doin'?
- Nothing much.

You, uh, hurt yourself again?

A little bit.

Jonah.

Well, doggone it, Joe,
I'm doing no harm.

It makes folks feel good.

They give me something,
and no matter what they did wrong,

they did one thing good.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, I know what you mean,
but that doesn't make it right, does it?

- Well, does it?
- I suppose not.

And I promised your
grandfather I'd let him know

if I caught you pulling any more tricks.

Oh, gee, Joe.

Jamie, you take him on home.

His grandfather will know
what to do with him.

I'll take care of
the business at the bank

- and meet you back here.
- All right, Joe.

Come on, Jonah.

Couldn't you just forget it,
just one time?

Nope.

Come on.

It didn't take you long
to start actin' like a grown-up.

Well, guess he ain't home.

I'll tell him as soon as he gets back.

Is that you, Jonah?

Yeah, it's me, Grandpa.

Well, young Jamie.

- It's a pleasure to see you.
- Good to see you, Mr. Morgan.

Well, sit a while.
Have some tea and biscuits.

I have a bucket of good honey
needs eating.

I'd like to, Mr. Morgan,
but I gotta meet Joe back in town.

Mm-hmm.

Did you drop something
on the floor, Jonah,

or did you do something
you shouldn't have?

Either you tell him or I will.

I did it again.

- You did what again?
- You know.

I want you to tell me.

I... I pretended again,

with your old crutches, you know.

I see.

You promised me, didn't you?

You promised
you'd never do that again.

Yes, sir.

So, why? Why'd you do it?

I wanted to buy you a sponge cake.

I know how much you like 'em.

If I'd wanted one,
I'd have bought it myself.

But I wanted to give it to you.

It's not the same if you buy it.

I wanted to surprise you.

Now...

What's more important...

A surprise or a promise?

- A promise.
- That's right.

Now all we have
in this world is each other,

and we've always to be honest
with each other.

- All right?
- All right.

Ah... I hear some coins in there.

I think it would be a good idea

if you took 'em down to the bank,
and put 'em in that big jar

they've got there for the orphanage.

It won't make what you did all right,
but it'll help a little bit.

- I'm sorry, Grandpa.
- I know, I know.

- But no more of it, eh?
- No more.

All right, be off with you.

And, Jamie, thanks for taking the time.

My pleasure, Mr. Morgan.

Jonah, what did
your grandfather just say?

- Oh, yeah, I forget.
- Yeah.

Listen, now when we get into town,
we'll put the money in the jar,

and I'm gonna talk to Joe

and I just may be able to get you a job.

How could you?
You're not even grown up yet.

Well, I'm a lot bigger than you are.

- So?
- So I bet I can get you a job.

But you have to keep your promise
about pretending in town, all right?

- All right.
- All right, good boy.

What about just on Sunday?
I did awful good on Sunday.

- Jonah...
- Sorry.

- How's the sheriff?
- He's fine.

Thank you.

May I help you?

No, but I think I can help you...

to stay alive.

Keep your hands right where they are.

All right, everybody on the floor.

Facedown, put your hands behind you.

- Move!
- Get down.

All right, Luke, give this gentleman
a hand with the cash.

Troy, check that back room.

Let's get out of here.

I'm all right.

Doctor's on his way.

Soon as the doctor gets here,
you'd better get his grandfather.

It was the Springer gang.
What happened?

The bank, they shot Carver
and little Jonah Morgan.

- How bad?
- It's hard to say.

Come on in, tain't locked.

Jamie.

Didn't expect you back.

Jonah didn't get
in more trouble, did he?

No, sir.

I know he felt kind of bad
getting caught doing something wrong,

so I fixed him a pot
of his favorite stew.

He really is a good boy, you know.

Only he, uh, just... tries...

Where is Jonah?

Cat got your tongue, boy?
Where is he?

There was some trouble at the bank.

Doc Martin's with him right now.

They're still heading
the same direction.

Yeah, due south.

If the one you shot
doesn't hold 'em up,

they'll beat it across the county line.

Let's just hope they don't make it.

Let's go!

This is it.
This is as far as we can go.

Clem, they could be just
a mile or two ahead of us.

I know that, Joe, there's not
a thing I can do about it.

We'll be out of my jurisdiction.

I don't give a damn
about your jurisdiction.

I say we keep riding.

And I say we don't.

Now I deputized you men
and you're my responsibility.

Just how do you think
you're gonna stop us?

I don't know, Joe.

I hope I don't have to find out.

All I can do is wire ahead

and hope a local sheriff
will do the job.

There are a hundred little
towns between here and Mexico.

They won't do a thing when
they see that wire.

All I can do is start sending the wires.

Now let's head back.

- Grandpa...
- Shh.

It's all right.

I'm here.

What's the idea of you shooting it out
with a bunch of bank robbers?

I don't hurt, and...
and I didn't even cry.

'Cause you're a brave boy.

I'm sorry, Grandpa.

Sorry?

What have you got to be sorry about?

I...

I didn't get
to put the money in the box.

- Did you get 'em?
- No, they got across the county line.

How's the boy?

Joshua's in there with him now.

- Is there any chance at all?
- No.

My grandson is dead.

He was always worrying
about me dying.

After he lost
his ma and pa to the fever...

I was all he had.

He'd always make me
promise not to die.

I tried to explain to him that
grandfathers don't live forever.

But he'd say, he'd say...

"You will, Grandfather.
I know you will."

He was only seven.

I heard you say
they got across the line.

Were they heading due south?

They followed the old wash
road most of the way.

Figures. They can make good time
that way.

Knew they had the law whipped
once they crossed the line.

Are you sure they were the Springers?

- The sheriff got a good look at them.
- I saw them, too.

There were five of them?

I think maybe four now.
I hit one pretty good.

Makes no never mind.
It'll be daylight soon.

Jamie, I'd be much obliged
if you'd get me to home.

I want to get my rig hitched
and ready to move out by daybreak.

Look, Mr. Morgan,
I know how you feel...

No, you don't!

You try to know how I feel!

But you really don't know.

A man don't know how it feels
to have his heart torn out of him

until he's had it torn out!

Here's the stuff you wanted,
Mr. Morgan.

Thank you, boy.

You sure you won't change your mind?

There are two things
an old man hates to change, boy.

A soft pair of boots and his mind.

I don't have time to argue about
this no more, Cartwright.

I didn't come here to argue.

I got the wagon hitched up.
The sooner we leave the better.

Jonah was my kin.
It's got nothing to do with you.

I don't see it that way.

If I hadn't sent him home,

he wouldn't have been
at the bank when it happened.

- That means I go, too.
- You wait at the ranch for Pa.

I brought Jonah home.

I'm just as much a part
of this as you are.

I say you stay at the ranch.

You can whip me if you want.
I'll just catch up to you on the trail.

All right, let's go.

What'd you think, Troy?

- Did I pick us a winner, or didn't I?
- You sure did.

How much you think we got coming?

I'd say 5,000 apiece.

What do you say to that, Hal?

Oh... boy.

You hear that, Clem? $5,000 apiece.

We... We gotta get Luke a doctor.

I can't stop the bleeding.
He'll die if we don't.

Look, will you stop counting
and listen to me?

He is gonna die
if we don't get him to a doctor.

Luke's gonna die anyway.

Now you seen enough men
got shot to know that.

Well, I-I know, but we, we have to try.

We gotta do something for him.

That's my feelings exactly.

Better get to doing it.

What?

He's just sufferin' in there
and it ain't fair to him.

Zack, that's my brother.

I know that, cousin.

That's why it ought to be you.
You're his closest kin.

No, I won't do it.

You never will change, will you?

I've been wet-nursing you
your whole life.

I think we ought
to stop a while.

This wagon's gotta be
jarring him apart.

Yeah.

I may be old, but I'm not deaf.

If it's getting too tough for you,
I can relieve you of the driving.

Well, the shack looks deserted.

Tracks led right here.

Yeah, but they could have been
here and gone.

Or they could have stashed the
horses around here someplace.

I'll go down and check it out.
You cover me.

All clear!

They were here all right.

There's blood all over
the cot in the next room.

Jamie, check outside,
see if you can find anything.

Right.

Be tough to track from here on.

Getting into hard-rock country
ahead of us.

Had a fire.

Must have been a goodly while ago.

Joe, there's a grave out back,
fresh dug.

You must hit that fella real bad.
Get a shovel out of the wagon.

We're looking for leads.
Get a shovel or I'll get it myself.

Check his pockets.

- No, nothing in his jacket.
- What about the vest?

Yeah, there's something here.

Old box of matches.

Something written on it.
It's hard to make out.

- Can you make it out?
- "The Wooden...

"Wooden Nickel...

"In Loman."

Hey. Hey, come on!

They're having fun.
Don't you want to have some fun?

- Go away.
- Oh, you don't mean that.

I said go away.

All right.

All right, I'm sorry.

- Come on, have a good time.
- Yeah.

You got a pocketful of money. Enjoy it.

Did you see the look on his
face when we buried him?

Did you see that?

Go on upstairs with Alice.

Go on.

Now will you listen to me? It's over.

You heard what Zack said.
He was gonna die anyway.

Zack's no doctor.

He was looking at me.

He was looking at me like
I should have helped him.

You couldn't have helped him.
Can't you get that through your head?

You could not have helped him!

Well, why, why was he looking at me?

He was dead.

He didn't know who he was looking at.

He knew.

He knew me.

I'm going on up. You can...

Stay here and sleep it off.

I gotta close.
Take him up with you, huh?

Well, go on and close.
He ain't gonna hurt nothing.

I'll... I'll wake him up in the morning.

Bert, as soon as
you're finished, lock up here.

Don't worry about the drunk.
Just clean around him.

Will do.

He's one of 'em.

Is he the one?
Is he the one killed my Jonah?

- No.
- All right, where is he?

- Where is he?
- I don't know.

He killed my brother.

We split up.

- We're supposed to meet.
- Where?

- Where were you supposed to meet?
- Hold it!

You make one move and I'll kill you.

I know you ain't the law.

'Cause you come across
the county line, right?

Well, who are you?

My name is Morgan.

One of you killed my grandson.

Zack done that.

He killed my brother, too.

- He shouldn't have killed my brother.
- Shut up!

How'd you know where to find us?

Oh, it don't make no never mind.

You're gonna die here anyway.

His brother told us.

- His brother said you'd be here.
- Luke's dead.

No.

No, he's alive.

Hal, I told you, remember?

He was looking at me
like he wanted me

to come back and help him.

We gotta go back.

- Luke is dead!
- No, he's alive!

We're going back. We're going back!

Get a doctor.

Where was he
supposed to meet Zack?

I didn't want him to shoot my brother.

I asked him to help him.

Your brother wants to get even.

Where's he supposed to meet him?

Norton.

Place called Norton.

You...

You tell my brother...

How you feel?

All right.

All right's an easy answer.

I shouldn't have let you come with us.

What do you suppose
he's thinking about?

About Jonah, I guess.

And justice, and wishing we had
some of it in this territory.

I kind of felt sorry
for that fellow in the saloon.

What was his name?

Clem.

I don't know why.

I just felt sorry for him.

What you doin', boy?

Answer me.

You was gonna steal from
your old man, weren't you?

Hmm?

Answer me!

Why not? That's how you
got it, ain't it?

Yeah, yeah, that's how I got it.

Now go tell your mother
to fix me breakfast.

Wait a minute.

Next time don't get caught.

Raw egg and coffee!

- Troy been in yet?
- Haven't seen him.

You don't like my friends,
do you, Martha?

Would it matter?

No, just wondered.

They remind me of you.

Billy boy,

do yourself a favor
and remember what I tell you.

Women are good for one thing...
Child-bearin'.

Best thing could happen
to a woman be

if she died in child-bearin'.

Amen.

You gonna stay home
for a while this time, Pa?

No, I got work to do.

I'm meetin' the boys over in Norton.

You said you'd teach me
how to shoot this time.

You promised me you would.

That's another thing to remember, boy.

Promises don't mean nothing.

You want to learn, do it on your own.

Hey, Zack!

Comin'!

I ain't got no gun.

There's an old gun of mine
in the bottom dresser drawer.

You practice while I'm gone.

Here, whatcha got there?

- Pa gave it to me to learn to shoot.
- You put it back, you hear?

I don't have to.
I don't have to do nothin' you say.

What do you figuring on doing
when we get to Norton?

What has to be done.

I think we ought to see
the sheriff first.

You know this country.
You think it'll do any good?

I think we ought to give it a try.

I can tell you now what he'll say.

Let's give it a try.

We'll talk to the sheriff first.

Hey.

Hey, come on, wake up.

What do you want?

I'm looking for the sheriff.

You must be new around here.

Otherwise you wouldn't
be looking for the sheriff.

Yeah, we're new in town.
Do you know where he is?

Sheriff Tyson, at your service

Got a badge around here someplace.

We're looking for some men.

Name of Springer, one of them's
first name is Zack.

The Springers, huh?

That's right. Have you seen them?

I ain't seen them
in a long time, a long time.

Last I heard they was headed north.

- You're sure of that?
- Of course I'm sure.

Leave me alone, will you?
I'm a sick man.

I don't feel good.
Don't feel good at all.

Well, now we've
seen the sheriff.

Well, at least
he won't give us any trouble.

Looks to be only one saloon in town.

Cold as it is, that's where
they'll probably show up first.

I want you to make me a promise.

We take 'em back.

Take 'em back to stand trial.

That's all I ever wanted, boy.

Back in Loman,
I never wanted it that way.

- Who is it?
- Tyson.

I got some news you might be
interested in.

- Be worth a bottle.
- It better be.

All right, let's go over it again.

That's all there was to it, Zack.

They didn't say where they was from?

They just said they was
looking for you, that's all.

Hard to figure.

A crippled old man, a kid...

And what did you say
the other fella looked like?

Just, just a cowpoke.

Wore his gun on the south side,
had on a dark green jacket...

Green jacket?

That guy I decked in the bank,
he was wearin' a green jacket.

Hmm, could be.

How you figure
they knew how to find us?

I don't know.

It don't matter neither.
It's a big mistake either way.

Well, ain't you gonna wait
for Clem and Hal now?

I don't need no help
with a cripple and cowpoke.

'Sides, I don't sleep easy
with folks lookin' for me.

- I did help you, didn't I, Zack?
- Yeah, you helped.

Let's go, Troy.

Jamie, why don't you wait over
at the livery stable, huh?

Livery stable?

Look, I want you to wait over there.

- But Joe, I...
- I don't wanna argue about it.

It's gonna take some time.
You bed down over there.

You think a lot of that boy, don't you?

Yeah.

Nothing in God's world
like havin' someone to love.

Joe, one of them's coming
in the stage door.

Jamie, get behind the bar.
You, get out of here.

Hold it!

That there gun must be
as old as you are, old man.

He's the one, he's the one
who shot Jonah.

I shoot lots of people, sonny.
I don't ask their names.

He was my grandson.

Oh, yeah.

Come busting in the bank.

Those are the breaks, old man.

You should have done
a little mourning

and left well enough alone.

Get that one's gun, Troy.

Now we don't want to mess up
Charlie's saloon.

We'll take these three out of town
and give 'em a right Christian burial.

Let's go.

Joshua! Joshua, let him go!

In the name of God, let him go!

He...

was only... seven.