Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 2, Episode 21 - Vengeance - full transcript

Hoss accidentally kills Willie the town drunk. His remorse may not be enough to stop Willie's hate-filled brother who only wants revenge even though the townspeople know it wasn't Hoss' fault.

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Willie! Please, Willie!

Oh, get away, Mary.

- Please!
- Leave me alone.

Willie!

Willie!

Willie, you're-you're going
to hurt somebody, Willie.

Draw.

Here. Here.

Draw. Draw.



Willie, you don't want
to shoot me.

Oh, yes, I do.

Give me the gun, Willie.

- No. No!
- Give me the gun, Willie.

- Willie, give me the gun.
- No!

Willie.

You killed him.

You killed my Willie!

You monster!

Oh, Willie.

Willie...

Willie...

Oh, Willie...

Oh...



Willie...

Willie...

Were you a friend to Willie?

Yes. Willie and I were friends.

Well, what do you mean
to do about it?

Do about it?

About Willie.

He was killed, wasn't he?

Yes, yes, he was killed,

but not the way
you're thinking.

You see, he'd been
drinking...

No, I don't want to see.
I don't have to.

Whatever Willie did,
he didn't deserve to be killed.

I know.

I'm his brother.

You're Red-- his brother Red.

He told you about me, then.

Oh, yes, he talked
of you often.

I should have been here.

Just what were you to him?

He was kind and gentle to me.

I loved him.

Kind and gentle.

And he ended up like this.

He talked about you many times.

What did he say?

Oh, he said that you scout
for the army and hunt buffalo.

Then, he must have told you
that I take care of my own.

Willie was my brother.

I've been asking around.

I know the name of the man
who killed him:

Hoss Cartwright.

Do you know him?

Everybody around here
knows the Cartwrights.

I don't.

But I will soon.

Please, the... the Cartwrights
were friends to Willie.

Willie was my brother.

A man killed him.

That man's going to pay.

Do you want me
to help you with that?

No, I don't need any help.

As soon as we get this finished,
I guess we ought to get out

and help the other boys
on the roundup.

Look, Hoss, you're going to have
to stop brooding.

It was just an accident.

Look, I know how you feel.
Um...

I mean, anybody would, but...

Where are you going?

I'm gonna take a ride
down to the low country.

There's some fences down there
that need to be mended.

Uh, I think you better
go along with him, Joe.

You'll get the job done
much faster.

Never mind.
It's... it's a one-man job.

If he'd just stop
feeling guilty.

I don't think he
should be alone.

Yeah, maybe it's best.
You know the way he is.

Where's Hoss going?

Said he was going down
to the lower section,

do some fence-mending.

You think I ought
to keep an eye on him?

No, I don't think so.

Best way for Hoss
to work things out

is for us to leave him alone.

Let's go, boy.

Go, boy.

What do you think you're doing?

Don't you know better

than to sneak up
on a man like that?

I asked you a question.

All right,
I'm worried about Hoss.

It's not like him
to stay out all night.

It's almost daybreak.

And what are you
going to do about it?

Gonna ride out and find him.
I don't want him to be alone.

Did you tell Pa this?

No, I didn't.

I'd just as soon you
wouldn't tell him, either, Adam.

I'll think about it.

Where do you think you're going?

Well, he's my brother, too.

What are we waiting for?
Come on.

Ah.

Doesn't look like Hoss
did much fence-mending.

I doubt he intended to.
He probably...

Came from Mud Creek.
Let's go.

Hyah!

It's Hoss!

- Brother.
- Is he all right?

Whoever did this
couldn't have gotten far.

- Now, Joe, wait... -What do you
mean, wait?! I can get him!

If you want to save
your brother's life,

you'll get Pa and a doctor.

Now, if we don't lose any time,
maybe we can keep him alive.

I'll stay here with him.

Now, get going!

He'll sleep for a while now.

I gave him a sedative.

Might just as well
leave him alone.

Tell me the truth.

How is he?

Well, I'll be honest
with you, Ben.

It's a bad wound--
he's lost a lot of blood.

I tried to encourage him,
to tell him he'd be all right,

but it's as if...
he didn't want to listen.

I know.

I know.
It's been that way ever...

ever since Willie Twilight's
death. It... I...

Listen, Ben.

You know that that
wasn't Hose's fault.

Oh, I know. You know.

Everybody knows except Hoss.
He feels guilty.

If there was only some way

we could make him understand
that it wasn't...

Ben, you're not
going to make him

understand anything for a while.

That bullet wound alone would've
been enough for most men.

It might be enough for him, Ben.

What can we do?

Wait.

Just wait.

I'll be back
just as soon as I can.

In the meantime...
just pray and hope.

We'll all do that, Doctor.

Thank you, Doctor.

There isn't much the doctor
could tell us.

Just this standing around
waiting.

I'm gonna go up and see him.

No. No, the doctor
gave him a sedative.

Hoss is asleep.

Said he should be alone
for a while.

Isn't there anything we can do?

We did what we could.

Thank God you two boys
disobeyed me and went after him.

Well, what'd the doc say?

Did, uh... did he get
anything out of him?

He talked to him, but...

that's about all.

Got to find out
who did this to Hoss.

We'll let the sheriff find out.

You think it could've
been an accident?

A deer hunter, maybe?

With a buffalo gun?
Not likely.

Well, who could it be, then?

Hoss never had
an enemy in his life.

I just hope this
had nothing to do

with that Willie Twilight
accident.

Look, I, uh...
I think I'd like to go up

and sit outside his door,
just-just in case he wakes up.

Be very quiet.

Right.

Adam, send one of the boys
into the...

the sheriff's office
and have him find out

if Willie Twilight
had any special friends.

Well, how is he?

He's still sleeping.

That might be the sheriff.

I hope so.

Maybe we can find something out.

Oh, Mr. McNeil.

- Hi, Ben.
- Come in.

I'm sorry to be late,

but the sheriff's
over in Carson City

and I got tied up.

How's Hoss?

Well, as well
as can be expected.

- You know the boys, Mr. McNeil?
- Oh, yes.

Hello, Mac.

How are you?
Joe.

Hi. Did you find out anything?

Well, as a matter of fact,
I did.

Uh... uh...
is that fresh coffee, Adam?

Sure. Let me pour you some.

Just black, please.

There you go.

Thank you.

Well, what'd you find out?

Well, we were wrong
about Willie Twilight.

He does have a relative.

Well, who is he?
Is he around here?

If he is, I want to see him.

Well, you just sit down
and take it easy.

Look, uh, why don't
we all sit down

and, uh, let's hear what
Mr. McNeil has to tell us.

Ben, I came out here
to tell you this because I...

well, because
I didn't want your boys

to find it out someplace else
and go off half-cocked.

Well, thank you, Mac.

Three days after
Willie Twilight was killed,

a man appeared in town.

First, he went out
to visit Willie's grave.

Then he talked
to Willie's girl Mary.

Then he went to the hotel
and registered under the name of

Red Twilight--
Willie's brother.

All right, that's the man
that shot Hoss.

How do you know that?

All right, you said
he's Willie's brother.

You said he came into town
three days after the accident.

My brother was back-shot
on the fourth day.

Now, what more do you want?

Positive proof--
that's the "more" that I need.

Oh, you want positive proof!

You go around scratching
for this so-called proof

while this man
rides halfway to California!

Now, Joe, please, please,
just quiet down.

All right.
All right, I'll quiet down,

but you just give me
one good reason

why this Red Twilight shouldn't
be arrested and hanged.

I'll give you two
good reasons, Joe.

First place,
your brother isn't dead.

Second place, I can't arrest
anybody for anything

unless somebody comes up to me
and says, "I saw him do it,"

or until I find a piece
of material evidence

that will convince a judge.

Oh, come on.
Forget the judge!

- You know he did it, and we know
he did it! -Joe. Joseph.

You see, Ben?

That's why I came
to the Ponderosa

the minute I found out.

I don't want your two boys
coming into Virginia City

and shooting up a man
who may turn out to be innocent.

Now, Mac, I don't recall
anyone saying

that's what we're planning
to do.

But if this Red Twilight is
guilty...

All right,
but I'm warning you two--

stay out of my town
until I get me some facts.

Mr. McNeil,

my sons won't do
anything foolish.

Thank you, Ben.

But I'm riding
into Virginia City with you.

I want to see this Red Twilight.

I'd like to talk to him.

Now, you two boys
are to stay here.

And this time,
you're not to disobey me.

And please do as I ask.

You're, uh... Willie Twilight's
brother, Red Twilight.

That right?

Yeah, that's right.

That's my name.

My name is Ben Cartwright.

My son that was shot--
have you heard?

Yeah, I heard about it.

Wish I could say
I was sorry, Mr. Cartwright,

but I didn't even know your son.

What can I do for you?

I just wanted to say that, uh...

your brother's death
was, uh... accidental.

I'm sorry it happened.

That makes two of us.

I'm sorry it happened, too.

Haven't seen you
around here before.

That's 'cause I haven't
been here before.

My sons and I, we, uh...
we run a ranch

just west of here-- Ponderosa.

What do you do?
Mind my asking?

No, I don't mind.

I scout for the army,
fight Indians, hunt.

Do you, uh...
you ever hunt buffalo?

Mr. Cartwright, I've hunted
just about everything.

Do you own a buffalo gun?

I think, uh, that's my business,
isn't it, whether I do or not?

The man who shot my son
was using a buffalo gun.

Mr. Cartwright,
are you accusing me of murder?

No.

No, it's up to the law
to make that kind of accusation.

But if my son dies...

Then, he isn't dead?

No, he isn't dead.

Well, that makes you lucky,
don't it?

'Cause my brother is.

Mary.

Going out to the grave?

Yes, I am.

Listen, what are you going to do
with yourself from here on?

I haven't thought of it.

Come on inside.
Let's talk about it.

You see, I'll be leaving town
in a day or so.

I thought you could come
with me.

Oh, please...
you don't owe me anything.

I'll just stay here.

Why? Willie's gone.

Well, you got nobody else.

I know, but...

Willie and me,
we were happy here.

This is the only town I know.

Think he'd want me to stay.

For whatever they're worth,
I... I've got memories.

Like what?

Like him lying dead
up on the hill?

Don't have to remind me.

It appears to me I do.

Look, I've been thinking
about it since--

getting over the bitterness.

It wasn't
Hoss Cartwright's fault.

Willie is dead.

He stuck his guns
right into Hose's chest

when Hoss didn't even have
a gun in his hand!

But Willie's dead!

I'm trying to tell you
it was an accident!

My brother was making harm
to nobody, and they killed him.

I won't be satisfied
until Hoss Cartwright dies.

Then, it was you.

Yeah. I'm a good shot.

I just didn't aim high enough.

That's why you've been waiting
in Virginia City--to make sure.

He'll die before I leave,
one way or the other--

for certain sure.

I think that you
should go away now.

Not until he's dead!

I-I can see you shooting Hoss
in the back for...

for revenge, but now it's done.

The thought of him
lying in bed maybe dying,

and you still saying
that you want to...

Kill him? Yeah.

I'm going
to make it up to Willie.

I wasn't here when he needed me,

but I'm going
to make it up to him now.

Oh, no, you're not
doing this for Willie.

He wouldn't want
any part of this.

You're doing it for yourself,
because you're something sick,

something dirty...

because you like to kill,
don't you?

You enjoy it.

Take your hand away from me.

Little Joe.

Oh, Joe?

What do you want?

Uh, will you check
these figures over for me?

I, uh... I'm getting
kind of groggy.

You sat right next to him.

That's right,
I sat right next to him.

Sat right next to the man
who shot my brother,

and you did nothing.

That's right, too.

Because there was no proof
he did it.

Yeah, just like the sheriff!

You take it nice
and slow and easy

with my brother dying upstairs.

If there's any proof
he shot Hoss,

the sheriff will find it.

If the sheriff finds the proof,
the courts will handle it.

Courts? Come on, will you, Pa?

Now, look!

You're not the only one
around here who's worried.

We're all of us worried,

but there's a right way
and wrong way to everything,

even to worrying.

Look, why don't, uh...
why don't we all go to bed?

We can finish this
in the morning.

What about it, huh?

It's really got to him.

Ah, he'll simmer down.

Hoss.

Hoss, I promise you...

I'm going to find the man
that did this to you,

and when I find him,
I'm going to kill him.

Before I kill him,
I'm going to make him know why.

I promise you, I'm going
to make him know why.

Wonder if you could
tell me something.

What?

What's to the west
of Virginia City?

Well, now, I calculate,
if you went far enough

and long enough,
you'd hit the Pacific Ocean.

No.

No, I mean around here.

Uh, any place a person
could ride on quick notice?

Except the Ponderosa.

No. No, I'd think not.

Uh, except if you was to drop
into Lake Tahoe.

But, then, of course,
the east side of that's

just about all Ponderosa
likewise.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Well, I'll be pulling stakes.

You get my bill ready, and, uh,
I'll leave in about an hour.

Fine and dandy, Mr. Twilight.

Don't you want
any forwarding address?

Forwarding address?

Most transients don't leave 'em.

Well, then, here's one who does.

I'm going to California.

That's kind of a big state,
ain't it?

All right.
Uh, make it Sacramento.

Sacramento.

And I'm going by way
of the Geiger Grade.

Matter of fact, I'm going
to camp at Sulphur Springs.

Well, now, do you want all that
put on your forwarding address?

I'm just telling you
where I'm going. That's all.

Oh, sure, sure.

No offense. No offense.

Ah, morning, Pa.

I looked in on Hoss earlier.

I think he looks better.
Don't you?

Yeah, he's, uh... seems to be
breathing more evenly now.

Yeah, I thought so, too.

Think the doc
will come out again today?

Well, he said he would.

Pass me the bread, please.

Thanks.

Little Joe up yet?

I haven't seen him yet.

Probably didn't sleep
any better than we did.

Boy worries me.

Well, Pa, it's only natural

for him to feel the way
he did last night.

You know him.
He'll get over it.

Yeah.

Adam, go up and ask him
to come down.

I'd like to talk to him.

Must have gotten up early.
I'll take a look outside.

He's not out there.
His horse is gone.

Maybe he went out
looking for stock.

Oh, Adam, there's no need
for us to fool each other.

He went out looking
for Willie Twilight's brother.

Well, what do you think?

One boy in trouble is enough.

Find him.

Bring him back here
before he does something

he'll regret
for the rest of his life.

Hoss.

Can you hear me, son?

Son.

Hey, listen to me.

I know how you feel.

I know what conscience
can do to a man like you.

Uh, Mr. Cartwright?

Mr. Cartwright?

Oh, I...

I'm sorry. I, uh...

Don't I know you?

I'm Mary.

I... I was Willie's girl.

Oh. Yes, I remember.

Uh, please.

Uh, there wasn't anyone around,
so I just came in.

I... I didn't mean any wrong.

No, of course not.

Uh... we were...

we were all mighty sorry
about... about Willie.

All of us.

I know that.

That's what I came to tell you.

I hold no blame against you.

We're all of us grateful.

Mr. Cartwright,
would you listen to me?

Yes.

What-what is it
you wanted to tell me, Mary?

I don't even have the words
to think it out, but...

Willie and me, we loved
each other, Mr. Cartwright.

We... we were to be married.

We would have been, too,
if Willie hadn't gotten sick.

Oh, I... I didn't know
Willie was sick.

That's just it.
He didn't want anyone to know.

He went to Placerville.

I went with him.

He talked to a doctor there.

Yes?

The doctor said
that Willie's heart was so bad

that he could die any day if
he didn't take care of himself.

But he just wouldn't do it.

I don't know why,
Mr. Cartwright,

but all of a sudden, it was
as if Willie wanted to die.

He wanted to die?

Oh, he changed completely--

started drinking
and fist-fighting with everyone.

He shouldn't have done that,
Mr. Cartwright,

not with his heart
the way it was.

He said he was...
he said he was tired of waiting.

He said that...
he was going to die anyway

and he wanted to get it
over with quick.

When he went out with
those guns, I tried to stop him.

I knew he was going out there
to get himself killed.

Are you sure of this?

How could you possibly be sure?

He told me.

Just before he went out
on that street,

he said he'd never see me again.

Pa.

Pa, what'd she...

Pa, what'd she say?

Hoss. Hoss, did you hear?

Did you hear what she said?

You didn't kill Willie.

He wanted to die.
You didn't kill him.

Willie liked you, Hoss.

He wouldn't want any harm
to come to the Cartwrights.

He wouldn't want you
to blame yourself for this.

Did you hear that?

I shoved him, Pa.

I... I killed him.

No!

No, that's what Mary drove all
the way out here to tell you.

Can't you understand that?

I understand some of it.

But, Pa, there's...

there's something else
that worries me.

Last night...

something I...

I can't remember.

Hoss, don't worry
about anything else.

Mary, does anyone else
know about this?

I tried to tell his brother,
but he-he wouldn't listen.

He's not like Willie was at all.

He's a killer.

When he found out
that Hoss was still alive,

he said he had to go back
and kill Hoss.

Then, it was Willie's brother
who shot Hoss.

Now, I... I-I must tell
the sheriff about this.

Mary, would you repeat
to the sheriff

exactly what you told me?

I'll tell him.

I know that's what Willie
would want me to do.

Thank you, Mary.

Now, Deputy McNeil, he's over
at the Templeton place.

Now, uh, if you'll
stay here with Hoss.

Uh, he's close by--
I can... I can go get him.

I'll send one
of the ranch hands in

to stay in the house with you.

I'll stay with him.
I'll take care of him.

I'll be back very soon, Hoss.

Pa.

Pa, don't let Little Joe...

Hoss, don't worry yourself none.

You just rest.

Mary, thank you for coming out.

Thank you for everything.

I'll be back very soon.

Willie was a...
was a good little feller.

I'm sorry.

I'm glad that you heard
what I said about Willie, Hoss.

He would have wanted me
to tell you.

Hi. I'm looking for a man
named Red Twilight.

Oh, he pulled up stakes
not more than a half hour since.

- He's gone?
- Mm-hmm.

Could be that, uh, deputy
kept a glassy eye on him.

He looked in once or twice.

And you don't know
where he went?

Of course I do.

Yeah, he left
a forwarding address.

- A forwarding address?
- Yeah.

Sacramento,
by way of the Geiger Road.

Uh, he even said how he
was going to camp out

at Sulphur Springs.

Well, thanks.
Thanks a lot.

I'm going with you.

If you like.

On one condition.

What condition?

When we find him,
I'll go as far

as beating a confession
out of him, if necessary,

but that's all, understand?

You never heard me say
any different, did you?

We bring him and the confession
back to Virginia City alive.

Now, I mean it, Joe.

I know how you feel.

I know what you'd like to do,
but it's wrong.

You want to stand here
talking all day?

And all that business
about the forwarding address

was just for our benefit--
you know that.

Yeah, I can see through that...
but if he wants to see me,

we're even,
because I want to see him.

But that doesn't change
the condition--

confession, and then we let
the sheriff take over.

All right?

I said I heard you, didn't I?

Not a sign of him.

Couldn't have gotten
this far ahead of us.

He must have cut off on us.

We'll have to backtrack.

All right.

Take a look at this.

Yeah, that must be
where he cut off.

Hey, that'll take him
back to the Ponderosa.

Right. He wasn't
an army scout for nothing.

He's doubled back on us.

We can cut him off
at the Mill Road.

Come on!

Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah!
Come on!

Can I help you?

You one of the Cartwrights?

No, I'm just one of the hands.

Mr. Cartwright sent me back
to look after Hoss.

He's upstairs.

The rest of the crew
are still at the roundup.

It's Willie's brother Red.

He's coming toward the house.

What shall I do?

In the... in the big room
downstairs,

Pa's desk, there's a gun.
Get it to me quick.

You wouldn't shoot Willie's
brother, now, would you?

Just go away, Red, please.

Just go away!

Far enough, friend.

Maybe I didn't do a 100% job
on your brother the first time,

but I guess it's better
this way--

two for one.

First I get you,
then I finish him.

Now, drop that gun.

Joe!

Adam.

You stay here.

All right, now, back-shooter.

All right,
now I'm going to kill you.

No! Please, don't!
No, don't, no!

I made a promise, back-shooter,

but I want you
to taste it first.

I want you to feel it
before I blow your brains out.

Joe, don't.

Now, you stay out of this, Adam!

All this time,
you intended to kill him.

I made a promise to Hoss,
and I'm going to keep it.

You got his confession.

That's all the evidence
the sheriff needs.

And that's all the evidence
that I need!

All right.

If you got to do it, go ahead.

Blow his brains out.

It'll only bring you
down to the same level

as the man
you're going to kill.

I hope you enjoy it.

All right.

All right, we'll take him back
to the sheriff.

- Adam.
- Adam.

Joe, you... you all right?

How you feeling?

What are you trying to do,
kill yourself?

- I'm fine. I'm going...
- Hoss!

I'm going to be
all right now, Joe.

Hoss.

Adam.

It's all right, Pa.

He got down under his own power.

You didn't...

I was worried
about something else, too.

Oh, come on, Pa, don't tell me

that's all the confidence
you have in your own son.

Come on, let's get this lug
back to bed.

Hey, Joe.

Joe, I'm...

I'm-I'm glad
you didn't kill him.

What do you mean, kill him?

Think I'd kill a man
just 'cause he took a shot

at a big ox like you?

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