Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 2, Episode 18 - The Bride - full transcript

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Driver, stop here, please.

Whoa, whoa.

We still got quite a ways to go

before we get to
the ranch house, ma'am.

I have never seen
anything as beautiful

as all this in my whole life.

Yeah.

The Ponderosa's really
something, all right.

All this is the Ponderosa?



It sure is.

Biggest spread this side
the Sacramento Valley.

Folks around here claim it could
be biggest west of Saint Lou.

And it all belongs
to Ben Cartwright?

It sure does.

Ben and the boys raise more cows
and sell more timber

than anyone else
in the territory.

You know, I've heard so much
about that beautiful house

he built up here
in the mountains,

I can't wait to see it.

Whoa.

This is it, ma'am.

You can unload my luggage here,
please, and-and very carefully.

Thank you.



I expect when you get ready
to leave here,

Ben Cartwright will
tend to it hisself.

No more need for me.

Oh, I'm sure
I'm in good hands now.

Yes'm.

And I thank you.

Oh, thank you, ma'am.

Thank you very kindly.

Excuse me.

♪ Jimmy crack corn,
and I don't care ♪

♪ Jimmy crack corn,
and I don't care ♪

Whoa.

Oh, fine horse, isn't it?

Well... yes'm.

He's purebred stock.

We imported him
all the way from Kentucky.

Kentucky?

Well, that is a long way,
isn't it?

You must be the one
they call Horse.

Oh, no, ma'am, not-not Horse.

Not H-O-R-S-E.

Just plain Hoss-- H-O-S-S.

Well, Hoss,
when you're finished here,

would you please take
my luggage inside?

Ma'am, you--Are you sure
you got the right place?

Well, this is the Ponderosa,
isn't it?

Yes'm.

Well, then I've come
to the right place.

Oh, you know, I would have
known you anywhere.

You're exactly
as Ben described you.

Ben, ma'am?

Yes, Ben. I'm Mrs. Cartwright.

Mrs. Ben Cartwright.

You mean to tell me
that Pa would get married

and send the bride
back here by herself?

Now, there's something wrong.

And what did you have
to put her up here for?

Adam, now, what the heck
did you expect me to do,

tie her to the hitching rail
out there and leave her?

Well, you could have
come after me.

How am I gonna do that?

You and Joe were both
up in the flats tallying.

Come on, Adam, settle down.

You know there's nothing else
he could do.

Besides, what's the harm?
When Pa comes back,

he'll clear the whole thing up
one way or the other.

Dad-burnit, Joe,
don't this beat all?

Hey, well, c-come on,
what-what's she like?

Oh, wait till you see her.

She is really something.

Mm!

Hey, sounds like
quite a woman, Adam.

I'm not interested in
what she looks like.

I'm interested in finding out
what this is all about.

Oh, you think it's so impossible
that our pa could get married?

I think it's impossible
that he'd do it this way, yes.

And if either one of you had
any sense, you'd see it that...

What's the matter, Joe?

Gentlemen.

May I join you?

Uh, I-I-I'm Joe Cartwright.

Well, how do you do, Joe?

Ma'am, this... this is
our older brother, Adam.

Adam.

Uh, how do you do.

Your father told me
you'd be surprised, but

I hope that isn't disappointment
I see on your face.

Ma'am, it-it takes
our-our brother Adam

a little longer
to get used to things.

Have you, uh...

known my father
long, Miss, uh...?

Not Miss, Adam, Missus.

Mrs. Jennifer Cartwright.

And, no, I only knew
your father a few days, but,

well, it seemed like
a long time.

It seemed like I'd known
your father all my life.

Well, now,
isn't it a little unusual

to marry a man you've only known
for a few days?

It's unusual,
but not impossible.

Not for us.

Ain't that romantic, Joe?

If, uh, y-you'll excuse me
for saying so, ma'am,

looking at you, I can see
how's that might happen.

Well, thank you, Little Joe.

You know, I appreciate
your saying that,

even though Ben did tell me you
were the flatterer of the group.

Uh, Miss, I'd like to know
where my father is

and, uh, why he didn't
come back with you.

He still had
some more cattle to buy,

and after all, a trip like
that's no place for a honeymoon.

Ain't that just like Pa?

But he didn't start out
to buy stock.

No, and he didn't start out to
get married either, but he did.

Oh, look, I-I know this has been
a big surprise to you,

but when your father gets home,
he'll explain it all.

Yeah, that's right, Adam.

And, look, why don't we, uh,

why don't we have a drink,
celebrate?

- I'll get it. -Okay.
- Thank you.

Here's to the Cartwrights:

to Hoss, Little Joe, Adam,

Ben and Jennifer.

I just don't understand it.

Now, he had no intention
of getting married.

And even if he did,
he wouldn't do it this way.

He wouldn't do it
without telling us.

She's gonna hear
every word you're saying.

I don't care what she hears!

Aw, come on, Adam,
calm down, will you?

She hasn't done anything to you.

Besides, this isn't even
any of our affair.

Well, it's Pa's affair,
and that makes it mine,

and it should make it yours.

Yeah, well, from what I see,

I think marrying her'd be
a good idea.

He could've done a lot worse.

Hey--anyway, we're gonna
find out now.

- Hey, Pa!
- Hey, boys.

- Welcome home.
- Thank you.

Have a nice trip?

Just fine, Hoss, just fine.

You, uh, find any new
breeding stock this trip, Pa?

- Breeding stock?
- Mm-hmm.

I went to Carson to see
the railway people about

selling some timber for that new
line they're planning up north.

You know that.

Uh, Pa, you didn't meet
nobody new or nothing?

Well, let's stop
beating around the bush.

Did you get married?

Did I what?!

There's a woman inside

who claims
she's Mrs. Ben Cartwright.

Says I married her?

Yes!

She's a real
good-looking woman, Pa.

Oh, she is, eh?

Well, uh, let's have a look
at this good-looker.

Will you join me, boys?

All right.

Where is this, uh,
good-looking woman?

Oh, she's, uh...

She's upstairs, Pa.

Oh, is she?

Well, uh, I guess you'd better
have her come down, eh?

Oh, Pa, I think she's asleep.

She's kind of tired.

I don't give a hoot.

Just have her come down,
right this minute.

Mrs. Ben Cartwright,
this is Mr. Ben Cartwright.

All right, now, come on, now,
boys, who is this lady?

Is this some kind of a joke?

Who is this?

Well, ma'am,
that's just what I was asking.

Why are you doing this to me?

Are you trying to confuse me?

Is that it, Hoss?

Are you hoping I'll say
this is my Ben?

No, ma'am.

We-We wouldn't do
nothing like that.

Th-This is our pa, ma'am.

This is Ben Cartwright.

Little Joe?

But this isn't
the man I married.

This isn't my Ben.

I don't know who this man is!

Ma'am... maybe you'd
better tell me

about this other Ben Cartwright.

I met him in Crater Plain,
and we were married there.

He told me all about his sons.

And he told me
all about the Ponderosa.

And when I got here, it was...

it was exactly the way
he said it would be.

Ma'am, I-I'm afraid
you've been taken in.

Taken in?

I loaned him $4,000.

It was the legacy
my parents left me.

He-He said he was buying cattle
for the Ponderosa.

Well, ma'am...

w-what does he look like?

Did he give you anything,

anything by which
he could be identified?

No, I have nothing.

I have nothing except
a marriage license:

Jennifer Lane to Ben Cartwright.

I guess that really isn't
much good, is it?

There, there, now, please...

I'm sorry.

Poor little gal.

Sure do feel sorry for her.

Somebody really took her
for her $4,000.

A lot of money.

Said she got married
in Crater Plain.

Whereabout's that?

It's that little mining town
across the line

in Utah Territory, isn't it?

Yeah.

A man running
around the country,

using my name, swindling women.

Maybe it'd be a good idea
if we went over

to this Crater Plain,
had a look around.

Well, I don't know about we,
but I'm certainly going to.

Well, what about Miz...
that-that little gal?

Yeah.

She's the only one who could
really identify the man.

I suppose I'll have to
take her with me.

Aw, come on, Pa,
that's a four-day ride.

Can't make that trip
alone with a woman.

No, Pa, that-that wouldn't
look right at all.

Maybe-Maybe Joe
ought to go along with us.

Us?

Who said anything
about you going?

Well, now, Crater Plain
is a tough mining camp,

and, uh, it's a long ride.

I-I think it'd be better
if we all went along.

Now, just a minute now.

Until you boys
came into my life,

I was perfectly able
to take care of everything.

I guess you're right, though.

Look, let's have a good night's
sleep, and we'll tell the lady

what we've decided to do
in the morning.

Well, better make up a bed
in the bunkhouse.

Well, I'm all ready,
Mr. Cartwright, but, uh,

well, I do feel awfully guilty

about getting you all
involved like this.

Oh, nonsense.

We've already talked that out,

and it's really a case
of helping each other.

Thank you very much.

There it is, Miss Jennifer.

Limits of the Ponderosa.

It's might near as big as
the whole state of Rhode Island,

ain't it, Pa?

Yeah, just about, I guess.

Must be wonderful to live
on a place like the Ponderosa.

A place almost as big
as an entire state.

Well, Miss Jennifer, it's not
what a man has that's important,

it's how he got it
and what he does with it

that really counts.

But how does one man
get so much?

By working till his back's
near broke, like our pa did.

Other people work hard.

Yeah, but maybe other folks

don't dream like our pa did,
Miss Jennifer.

Yeah, fight to keep it.

Howdy.

Howdy, stranger, howdy.

Light and set a spell.

Oh, thank you.

Uh, thought we could
water up our horses.

Why, sure.

Water's cheap,
and I got lots of it.

- Thank you.
- Been traveling quite a piece?

Yeah, from up near Tahoe,
near the Nevada-California line.

Water up, boys.

You don't say?

- I never been over there.
- No?

Uh, heading for Crater Plain,
I reckon, eh?

Yeah.

Lots of folks are nowadays.

It's quite a little town.

But mind you,
watch your pocketbook.

The gamblers are cleaning up
more pay dirt than the miners.

Well, thank you for the warning.

Is it much farther to,
uh, to Crater Plains?

About eight miles
as the crow flies.

- Thank you.
- Trouble is,

you ain't riding crows.

I say, you ain't riding crows!

I guess we aren't.

Oh, uh, is the trail marked?

Good and plain.

You won't have no trouble.

Well, thank you very much for
the water and for your kindness.

Uh, and I'll remember what
you said about the gamblers.

You do that now.

Thanks again for the water.

Well, what are you
doing around here?

Doggies, I don't hardly
recognize you

without a card table between us.

I ain't got
any gold dust to lose,

but I got a bottle in the shack.

Might loosen up your tongue.

Reckon?

Come on in.

Whoa.

Adam, you and Little Joe
take Miss Jennifer to the hotel.

See that she gets a good room.

What am I gonna do, Pa?

Well, soon as we make
arrangements for the horses,

we'll go see the sheriff.

Afternoon, Eb.

W-What do you want in here?

Y-You shouldn't come in here.

What's the matter, Eb?

Every citizen has the right

to bandy a word or two
with the town clerk.

I've done all I can for you.

Leave me alone.

I find now I can
use your services.

No.

No, last time was enough.

No more.

You leave me alone.

Town clerk's here
to serve the people.

All the people.

What do I have to do?

You remember Ned Birch?

Yeah.

They're bringing
his body into town.

I think you ought to let
his friends know.

Hello?

Anybody here?

Howdy.

What's all the ruckus?

Well, we were looking
for you, Sheriff.

Don't think I've seen you
around Crater Plain before.

No, we just rode into town.

People come looking
for the sheriff

ain't so plentiful around here.

What's your name?

Well, I'm Ben Cartwright.

This is my son, Hoss Cartwright.

- Howdy.
- Cartwright?

Sheriff.

I'll talk to you later.

Get rid of the body.

Ben Cartwright, huh?

Yeah, Ben Cartwright.

And that's why I'm here,
Sheriff.

That's why you're gonna
stay here.

Ben Cartwright,
I'm arresting you for murder.

Murder?

What-What are you talking about?

They just found that on the body

of that dead miner out there
you shot in the back.

Well, Sheriff, this is why
I wanted to talk to you.

See, there's another
Ben Cartwright...

Pa ain't the man
you're after, Sheriff.

You look like a nice boy.

Why confuse things?

You stay out of it, huh?

I'm looking for
a Ben Cartwright.

You say you're Ben Cartwright.

That'll do for a start.

Now, just one minute, Sheriff.

I came here to clear my name!

Yes, I'm Ben Cartwright of
the Ponderosa, Nevada Territory,

but some crook is
running around these parts,

using the name
of Ben Cartwright...

Now, you wait just a minute.

I'll hear your story in there.

Hoss, go get Jennifer.

She'll clear this thing up.

- She's...
- Just a minute.

She's the one that was
swindled by that crook!

Oh, hi, Eb.

Mighty fine...

That's a little rich for you,
ain't it, Eb?

Well, I...

just came into some money.

I expect that's my business.

Oh, makes no never mind
around here.

Some days you got it,
some days you ain't.

Uh, no need to fret about it.

You, uh, closed the town up

a mite early today,
didn't you, Eb?

Well, today ain't
no ordinary day.

Today's something special.

Been just
an ordinary day for me.

What's so special about it?

They found Ned Birch
up at his shack, dead.

They just brought him in.

Ned Birch dead?

Why, he was in here
just a couple days ago.

Well, he won't be back in again.

He was murdered.

Shot right in the back!

Oh, Hoss,
is anything the matter?

Oh, yes'm.

Ma'am, they got our pa
locked up down here in jail.

In jail?

Well, what on earth did he do?

All I know is,
we-we walked in there

and-and Pa introduced himself to
the sheriff as Ben Cartwright,

and the sheriff
arrested him for murder.

Murder?

But that's impossible.

Ma'am, we-we figured you could
help us more than anybody else.

You see, the sheriff
has got Pa mixed up

with the same man
that stole your money.

If you'd go down there
and tell him what you told us,

then he'd know he's got
the wrong man locked up.

Well, of course I'll go.

I'll go right away.

Thank you, ma'am.

I'll go see if I can find
Adam and Little Joe.

You just leave
your father to me.

He'll be in good hands.

We're supposed to be
helping you.

Looks like things sort of

got themselves turned around,
don't it?

Your father said
we'd be helping each other.

That's all I'm trying to do.

Ma'am, I sure do thank you.

We all do.

If it hadn't been for me,

you wouldn't be here,
and he wouldn't be in jail.

I'm only doing what I can,
but I'm sure it'll be enough.

No need for you
to worry about this.

I'll take care of it.

Yes, miss?

Good afternoon, Sheriff.

I, um, think I might be
of some help to you.

Well...

Lord knows I need it.

What about?

I understand you have
a Ben Cartwright in jail.

Well, news travels faster
than the plague about him.

What kind of help
you figure I need?

I also understand

there's some confusion
about two Ben Cartwrights.

So he says.

Well, I can identify
the man you're looking for

if I can get a look at him.

I'm not interested in
playing games, ma'am.

This is no game, Sheriff.

All right.

Well!

Sheriff, it's about time

somebody talked
some sense into you.

Just simmer down, Cartwright.

Let this young lady
take a gander at you.

Take all the time you want.

Just make sure.

You just tell him
the truth, Jennifer.

That's all we need here,
just the truth.

I might say the law looks
unkindly on anything else.

He says he's the Ben Cartwright

of the Ponderosa,
Nevada Territory.

Ben... Ben, I begged you

not to get
into any more trouble.

What?

This is the man, Sheriff.

What makes you think
I'll take your word for it?

Because I'm
Mrs. Ben Cartwright.

Jennifer!

Oh!

Now, Frank, what is this?

I was just down at the jail,
and the sheriff told me

they were charging
Ben with murder.

Honey... you don't believe
everything you hear, do you?

Oh, Frank!

Jenny... Jenny,
you know it's not true.

Now, why worry your pretty
little head about details?

That's what I love
the most about you:

You're always worried
about other people.

Jenny, you and I...

we're gonna have
everything we ever wanted.

Frank.

Why would she just stand here
flatfooted and lie like that?

Didn't sound much
like lying to me.

Sounded like a woman
who married the wrong man.

But why?

Why would she want to do
a thing like this to you?

Dad, there's got to be
more to this.

Yeah, but what?
And how are we gonna find out?

Oh, we're gonna find out,

if we have to tear
this whole town apart.

Now hold on.

You boys stay out of
trouble, you hear?

One Cartwright in here
is already one too many.

It sounds like
pretty good sense to me.

And if you want
some friendly advice, boys,

I'd play it pretty easy.

Ned Birch had
a lot of friends in this town.

Pa, I promise you,

we'll get
to the bottom of this.

Adam, find out
everything you can,

but stay out of trouble.

You listen to your daddy, boys.

None of you young Cartwrights
are so big

you can't end up
right in here beside him.

Keep that in mind.

All right, time's up now.

You're making the biggest
mistake of your life, sir.

Just doing my job, boy.

He doesn't belong
in there, Sheriff.

I don't know why
you don't listen to him.

He's telling you the truth.

I have listened to him, boy.

I'm as good a listener as you're
gonna find in this town.

Have been for years.

Yeah, but you don't know
the truth

- when somebody tells it to you.
- Take it easy, Joe.

Now listen, boy...

I keep hearing
about two Ben Cartwrights

and the wife who ain't a wife.

I admit we get
a John Smith through here

two, maybe three
times a month...

a few Barts, a couple Reds,
a couple of Blackies,

but Ben Cartwright
just ain't John Smith,

you know what I mean?

Just ain't so easy to believe.

Yeah, but you believe that woman

when she says she's
my pa's wife and she isn't.

I don't see you making any
effort to find out about her!

Boy!

Don't tell me how to do my job.

Oh, come on in, Eb.

You sent for me, Sheriff?

If-If you're busy,
I-I can come back.

No, no, no, just busy
waiting for you, Eb.

Stick around, boys.

This might interest you.

Not unless it has something
to do with our pa.

Stick around.

You been reciting many words
from the book lately, Eb?

Weddings?

This town ain't much
for getting married, Sheriff.

You know that.

Folks too busy
for that sort of thing.

And you'd remember if you
hitched anyone lately,

wouldn't you, Eb?

Well, I... I don't know,
Sheriff.

I-I've been a little peaked
with the misery lately.

My memory, it, it might not be
what it should.

You... You look a little peaked
to me right now.

Are you, uh, some
kind of minister?

Minister?

I'm the city clerk.

See what I mean, boys?

Just trying to do my job.

Have a look at this, Eb.

It's your writing, ain't it?

Well, uh...

yes, yes,
I-I s'pect that is.

You remember the man, Eb?

Remember this Ben Cartwright?

Well, uh...

maybe if I... if I saw him.

Well, let's have a look.

Well, uh...

Well, a man wears

his best duds to his wedding.

If... If I could see him in...

Is that the man,
like it says in this paper?

Yes or no?

That's him.

Sheriff!

That's the man.

You better get
to talking, buster,

and telling the truth,
or I'm gonna squeeze you real...

Let him go!

I've been a patient man.

I've been patient,

hoping you'd come up
with something...

...but my patience is over now.

Boys, you-you'd better go.

All right, are we going
to give up that easy?

Course we ain't.

Then let's go back in there
and blast him out.

No, now, wait a minute.
You two find a place to light.

Try the saloon.
I'll meet you there later.

What are you figuring
on doing, Adam?

I'm gonna have a talk
with that lady.

Sheriff. Sheriff!

You said I'd have
a chance to talk.

I figure you've had it.

Well, I didn't want
to say anything

when the boys were here.

They're hot-tempered,
but, well, I have my rights!

Sure, you have,
like everybody else.

Well, then will you please
pay a little attention

to what I have to say?

That man that was just here,
he's lying.

The woman that was here before,
she's lying!

She's not my wife!

She said she was.

Sheriff!

Now hang it all, man,

why can't you send somebody
to Virginia City?

There are a hundred people there
who can identify me!

Virginia City?

Take the better part of a week,
round trip.

I've got the time, but I don't
know about the town.

They might have different ideas.

What do you want here?

Why did you lie about my father?

I don't know what you mean.

Look, my father's life
is threatened.

Now I want the answers
to some questions.

- You're hurting my arm!
- I'll break it!

Now what's it all about?!
Start talking!

Get your hands off
her, Cartwright.

You're pretty good
at threatening a lady.

What lady?

Get his gun, Jennifer.

What are you doing?!

Get out of the way.

Frank, you can't do this!

I won't let you!

Get out of the way!

No, Frank.

Cartwright, you get out of here.

Get out of here!

Please, Frank!

Look, Jenny,

we're in this thing
for money-- $10,000!

But how far do we have to go?

Look, Frank, I got Ben here.

I got him in jail.
I even got his sons to come...

All right!

All right.

You've done real fine.

I'm not complaining, Frank;
I never have.

I've always done
exactly as you told me to,

even when I didn't want to.

But when you had that gun
in your hand, it scared me.

Frank, it's not like you.

It's not like us.

Yeah, I guess I got excited.

Maybe I was
even a little scared.

All I've ever
really wanted was you.

Oh, Frank, please,

why can't we just take
the money

and get out of here?!

We can't do that, Jenny.

Not just yet.

But why can't we?

That was the plan.

Jenny... are you
gonna be satisfied with $10,000?

Isn't that enough?

Is it? After you've
seen the Ponderosa?

Frank!

We can have it all--
the big house,

everything that's in it...

all of those thousands
of acres of land.

It's just that I want so much
for you.

There now...

you're not afraid, are you?

No.

No, not when you hold me
like this.

It's just that...
I don't want you to kill.

I'd do anything
in the world for you,

but... but not murder.

Once you murder,
there's no way back.

You know that, don't you?

That's right, Jenny.

Once you murder,
there's no way back.

You gotta go all the way.

How'd you do?
You see Jennifer?

One of you give me your gun.

What happened to yours?

That Jennifer of yours,

she had a man hidden in her room
waiting for me with a gun.

That's our man.
Let's go get him.

Now, it's my gun he took,
I'll handle it.

Wait a minute, Adam,
we can't do it this way.

You know what Pa said

about staying
in the boundaries of the law.

Hoss, what good's
the law gonna do us?

That sheriff will believe
any lies anybody'd tell him.

Joe's right.
Now give me your gun.

Look, if we're gonna get
any information,

we're gonna get it together.

All right, let's go.

You're them Cartwrights,
ain't you?

We've never denied
our name.

Well, we want you
out of town.

We're not leaving here

as long as our
pa's in that jail.

And we say you are.

That man your pa killed--
Ned Birch--

he was a good friend
of ours.

Our pa never killed him.

You say that,
and we think different.

Ned Birch never hurt nobody
in his whole life,

and we don't take to him
being shot in the back.

Real friendly people
they got in this town.

Hold it!

All right, everybody
over on that side,

away from the door.

Come on, move!

Move it right around, boys.

Adam...

Be real good,
nobody'll get hurt.

Come on, keep moving!

Move it around, boys,
move it on around.

Hold it.

Stay right where you are,
everybody.

Wouldn't want me
to turn loose a load

of double-aught buck,
would you?

Now if I was you,
I'd put them things away.

Might turn into something
pure illegal.

And if there's one thing
I hold to, boys,

it's doing everything
all neat and legal.

Yeah, like hanging
an innocent man, huh?

No, not if he can
prove himself innocent.

Boys, you all know I don't
hold with this kind of doings.

Then run them
out of town, Sheriff,

or there's gonna
be plenty of trouble.

Ned Birch had
a lot of friends.

There's talk of stringing up
all these Cartwrights.

We don't like the idea of them

running around loose,
packing guns.

I reckon I can
take care of that.

Now, are you gonna
do it my way,

or you want to try it your way?

Your way, as I see it,
you run them out of town.

They lay out behind rocks
with rifles,

and pick you off one by one

if they have a mind to

and maybe they would have.

Might be they
take after their daddy.

And your daddy told you
to stay out of trouble.

Well? You going to
let me handle this?

What do you aim to do, Mike?

Put these Cartwrights

where they'll be safe.

Like I say, I like everything
all neat and legal.

I don't want
a bunch of wild killings.

Your guns, boys.

All right, Cartwrights,
I'm going to lock you up

for your own good.

Excuse me, Sheriff.

Take your choice, Sheriff.

It's two of us
or one of him.

If you got any liking
for that brother of yours,

you better start hoping he
comes in of his own free will.

I ain't going to be responsible
for what happens to him

when this town
gets liquored up tonight.

Not if he's outside
my jail, I ain't.

Get in there!

Boys, are we going to
stand by and let strangers

ride through
and kill off our friends?

No!

Are we going to forget
about our pal Ned Birch?

- No!
- Ain't none of us safe,

as long as the Cartwrights
are alive.

I don't like this, Frank.

The whole town's getting
stirred up.

It's not the town
I'm worried about.

If it hadn't been for you,

that Cartwright wouldn't still
be on the loose.

Frank...

who turned you into a killer?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

I don't like this.

Let's just forget the money
and get out of here.

You're not going anywhere.

This isn't like you.

Who's changed you?

Who's making you do this?

Stop it! Stop it!

Stop it!

Frank...

Frank?

Frank?

Frank?

Oh, no! No!

I didn't want it
to be like this.

No.

I only wanted him
to do some talking.

He won't talk now,
Mr. Cartwright.

Whatever it was
you wanted him to say,

he won't talk now
because you killed him.

And I hope you
and your father both hang!

You loved him
that much, did you?

Yes, I loved him
that much.

Enough to want to steal
the Ponderosa?

Bad enough
to want to kill for it?

Kill for it?

No, I didn't want killing.

Well, somebody
killed that miner.

My father is going to die for it
unless you put a stop to it.

All I know was I was supposed

to pretend to be
Mrs. Ben Cartwright

and then Frank and I were
gonna go away together.

And then who was
going to take over?

I don't know.

That's what I was
trying to find out.

Tell me who it was.

But I don't know;
I swear I don't.

Stop lying, will you?

But I'm not lying.

Why should I
with Frank gone?

You lied about
being married to my father.

But Frank asked me to

and I always did
what Frank asked me to.

I'm asking you now.

Will you go down there
and tell the sheriff

that you're not
Mrs. Ben Cartwright?

I don't know.

Please, I...

I just don't know.

How do we know
it was Ben Cartwright

that shot
our pal Ned Birch, huh?

How do we know
it wasn't one of them

other Cartwrights that did it?

All them Cartwrights cut out of
the same cloth, you ask me.

There's one way to make sure,

and that's hang
the bunch of them.

Yeah, hang 'em all!

Dirty sound that.

Some men hear it
only once in their life.

What are you
going to do about it?

I'll go out there
and try to stop it.

That's my job.

I like things
clean and legal.

Course, only so much
one man can do.

Well, you can at least give us
a chance to protect ourselves.

Give us some guns.

I wouldn't likely do that,
would I, Cartwright?

You might decide to
shoot me in the back.

You've already proved
you're good at back-shooting.

That's what
that mob out there

is so all-fired
stirred up about.

He don't care, Pa.

He don't care
what happens to us.

Yes! That's what he said!
That's what he said!

I say go get 'em
and drag 'em out.

They deserve
no more of a chance

than they gave
our pal, Ned Birch.

Now, wait a minute, Sheriff.

This girl has
something to tell you.

Get in there with your
brothers, Cartwright.

Sheriff, Frank's dead.

And I lied about being
Mrs. Cartwright.

Frank told me to.

Maybe you ain't his wife,
Jennifer,

but only you and me knows it.

I know it, Sheriff.

That mob's coming for the
Cartwrights, not for me.

Oh, no.

No, no, no,
you can't do this.

You don't want
the Cartwrights!

They're innocent!

I'm telling you!

The Cartwrights are innocent.

They didn't have anything
to do with this.

No, please listen to me.

You can't do this.
I lied!

This is all a plan.

It's not true! I'm
not Mrs. Cartwright!

Look out!

Why'd you try it?

Ponderosa's a pretty big spread.

I wanted a place
like that all my life.

Not much chance
with a sheriff's salary.

I figured with
you Cartwrights dead,

only the widow...

Would have worked real fine.

Ah, this place of ours
is so beautiful.

Every time I see it,

it's as though I'm seeing it
for the first time.

You came pretty close

to seeing it for
the last time, Pa.

She was sort of pretty,
wasn't she?

Mm-hmm!

Pa, in the future, if you ever
do decide to get married

and send the bride
home by herself,

just do us one favor will you?

What?

Don't.

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