Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 2, Episode 26 - Cutthroat Junction - full transcript

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There you are, see?
What did I tell you?

No stage or mail today
or any other day.

Well, now, the Sierra
is doing the best it can.

We've been cut off for mail
and supplies for six weeks now.

- Let's tear down the place.
- Yeah!

Well... just a minute.
Hold it there.

Gentlemen, please, hold it.
Now just a minute.

Now, look, when you asked me
to head up this committee,

you said we'd work out
some kind of peaceful plan



to get the stage
back on schedule.

We're beginning
to act like a mob.

Ben, we businessmen are
fighting for our lives.

The Sierra's pushing
us to the wall.

We're beginning to feel
the same pinch of lack of mail

and supplies out on
the Ponderosa, too.

That doesn't mean we
have to lose our heads

and become violent about it.

Well, you ranchers don't have
to pay $30 a sack for flour.

Oh, now, just a minute.

Or 50 cents a pound
for potatoes.

We pay exactly what
anybody else pays

right here in Virginia City.

Now let's all just settle down,



and let's talk
to Simms about it.

Oh, I-I wrote a letter
to the head office.

They're sending out
a troubleshooter.

- Good. -By the time he gets
here, we'll all be broke.

- Yeah.
- The Sierra is responsible

- for the high prices around
here. -Now, come on now.

Making things scarce
and hard to get.

- Take it easy. -And Simms is
the Sierra in this town.

- I say let's run him out.
- Now just a minute!

- Leave him alone.
- Just a minute.

Trask!

Jed Trask!

Go ahead, tear up the Sierra
and run me out of town now.

Go ahead, Mr. Walker.

Simms, you get these citizens
off Sierra property.

- Yes, sir.
- Hold on, Simms.

Now, what gives you
the authority

to come in here and
threaten us with a gun?

Mister, there are 26 men who
have questioned my authority.

Now they're all dead.

And if that isn't enough
for you, how about that?

You won't have
any more trouble, Simms.

I'm on my way to Latigo

to get the Sierra running
on schedule again.

Latigo?

Mr. Trask, that town is poison.

Yeah, I got the
antidote right here.

Well, I understand that every
no-good gunman in the west

is holed up in Latigo.

Yeah, that's right.

They're using it as a base

to burn and plunder our stages
and our freight wagons.

Well, one man and one gun
won't stand much of a chance

against a whole town of killers.

That's my job.

I'm paid to do it.

Of course, if there
are any volunteers

to help me clean out Latigo...

Well, well, now, you can't count
on them fellers out there.

They've all got their
businesses to take care of.

Well, what businesses?

If the Sierra ever stops
running through here,

this will be a ghost town.

Boy, it never fails.

You scratch a citizen with talk
of volunteering his gun,

and he runs like a whipped dog.

Ain't that the truth, honey?

Sure is, Jed.

Mr. Trask...

I agreed to
head up this committee.

I'm not backing down from it.

Yeah, well, you might
want to reconsider.

If anything happens to you,

the Sierra won't pay for
as much as a pine box.

You know, the Sierra is
far more important to us

than it is to itself.

As far as your company
is concerned,

it's only so much profits.

As far as we're concerned...

the Sierra is our lifeline
to the outside world.

All right.

Be ready to leave at sunup.

Honey, looks like we bought
ourselves another gun.

Oh, you're wrong.

You bought yourself
four more guns.

My sons will go along.

The quicker this is settled,
the better we'll all like it.

Good.

I want one thing understood.

My first concern is the Sierra.

When we get to Latigo, you'll
all take orders from me.

That's agreeable, Trask,

as long as you remember
that we're not hired gunmen.

Look, let's get things straight.

I'm tired of people thinking
of me as a hired gun.

I bring law and order to the
Sierra wherever it needs it.

And right now,
it needs it Latigo.

Oh, we're...

we're all for
law and order, Trask.

Just want you to know that we...

we don't intend to shoot first
and ask questions later.

And I don't intend to
wind up on boot hill

with a bullet in my back.
This is the only kind of law

those kind of men
will understand.

Well, Latigo doesn't sound
like any picnic ground.

Maybe you ought to send Mrs.
Trask back to Virginia City.

Belle!

Adam Cartwright is
worried about you.

He thinks maybe I
ought to send you back.

You're my man, Jed.

When you tell me
to go back, I'll go.

Hyah!

It's another one of our wagons.

Only a half a day out of Latigo.

You know, in a town like this,

the undertaker is
the leading citizen.

Come.

I'll have them heat some water
for your bath, Jed.

I'll be about an hour.

Well, you can still
back out, if you want to.

We have no intention
of backing out.

You suit yourself.

I'll be over at the Sierra;
it's right across the street.

Peaceful place.

Yeah. Let's get the horses
down to the livery stable.

Mm.

Plenty of cash in
this 'un, Big Mike.

There.
Look, look.

Look at them greenbacks.

Jed Trask!

Who sent for you?

Mike Campbell, you're through.
Get out.

Tenderest meat I ever ate.

Here, try some.
Melt in your mouth.

Maybe you didn't hear me.
I said you're through!

Trask, you're invading
the private office

of the duly appointed division
superintendent of the Sierra.

Mike, you've got one hour
to get out of town.

Well, if I'm going
to leave town,

I might as well travel
on a full stomach.

Mike, you forgot something.

All right, you, too, come on.

Me?

- Well, see, I-I was only...
- One hour.

Uh, now that we got
rid of Big Mike,

we can start get started
straightening up this depot.

Look, Jed...

Jed, you're not going
to let them ride off scot-free?

They must be prosecuted.

Prosecuted with what? There
isn't any law in this town.

First things first, Ben.

I work for the Sierra.

Jed, when I came
along on this trip...

When you came along...

you promised you'd
take orders from me.

Look, Ben...

Latigo is like a snake.

You cut off its head,

and the rest of it'll die.

An hour.
He only give us an hour.

That's time enough for
you to go round up

Cole Baker and his partner.

Meet me in there.

Anybody finds out he took over,

you got no business
in this town.

Look, you just do like I say.

I'll take care of Jed Trask.

If this had been allowed to
go on a little while longer,

Big Mike would have
owned Virginia City.

Uh, he was never
that smart, Ben.

Well, here's some
more records to check.

Hey, come on out and
take a look at the barn.

It's full of mail and supplies.

Hey, Pa, take a look at this.

This is where all
the mail's been.

Closest that
ever got to Virginia City.

Well, there's enough stuff here

to keep a town happy
for a couple of months.

You know, there must be supplies

and mail out here
for half the West.

- Yeah.
- It'd take us a month of Sundays

to straighten all this out.

There's a stage coming in
the end of the week.

We can start moving
some of it out then.

- Yeah. -Hey, you know, for
a young one, you're real smart.

Jed?

Yeah?

Jed, you know,
we're going to need

half a dozen wagons and
teams to load this stuff up.

Well, there'll be
a courier through here.

I'll send the message
to the home office.

I'll go back
to the stage depot right now

and write it out.

Come suppertime,
I'll see you all.

I'll buy the drinks.

All right.

I may have misjudged that one.

Well, you got
to admit one thing,

he sure knows his business.

That's for sure.

Seems like this town
is already quieter,

just since he's been here.

Well, this mail isn't
going to load itself.

Come on, let's get to work.

Yeah, yeah, you get to work.

Hand me that.

You're in my way, boy.

You're in my way, mister.

Trask?

That hour you give me is up.

I'm gonna enjoy
watching you die.

Clear out of here, you vulture.

Jed!

He's hardly breathing!

He'll be all right.

Joe, get the doctor.

Right.

You wanted to be part of this...

well, now you are.

Which one of you is
gonna kill Mike Campbell?

Come on, boys,
let's get him upstairs.

Belle?

Belle?

I'm here, Jed.

I'm here.

I can't stay
trussed up like this,

I got a job to do.

You're not getting
out of this bed

until the doctor says so.

Ah, come on, will you
stop mother-henning me.

I'm in shape right now
to get back on the job,

I... Oh!

There, you see?

Jed, quit worrying.

The Cartwrights are down
at the station right now.

Now, they're taking
care of everything.

What do the Cartwrights know
about running a stage line?

I thought you'd be happy
knowing they were staying on.

Well, I'm not in much shape
right now to jump for joy.

Just the same, I'm glad that
you, you asked them to stay on

and run the depot.

All I have to do now
is figure out a way

of running down Big Mike.

Leave well enough be, Jed.

Big Mike has run
like a whipped dog.

Honey, "well enough"
won't leave me be.

I can't let a man put
a bullet hole in me

and get away with it.

Every two-bit gunman in the West

would want to try
the same thing.

Everybody knows he tricked you.

You've nothing to gain
tracking him down

like a hired killer.

Don't you call me
a hired killer.

Oh, I didn't. I didn't.

Honey, I've got a job to do.

To do that job right,

I've got to put the fear
of Jed Trask into everybody

and keep it there.

Fear, Jed, or respect?

It's the same thing, Belle.

My gun got me my job
and my gun is gonna keep it.

If I let Big Mike stay alive,

everybody would say the sand
was running out of my craw.

Jed...

I just can't stand
seeing you get hurt again.

I thought you
understood something.

There are only two things
in my life:

my work and you.

And my work is
the only way I know

to get you the things
I want for you.

Hyah! Hyah!

Whoa.

- Hi. -Hi.

Is this the stage
for Virginia City?

Ain't carrying much
except some mail

and this stuff
from the home office.

Well, we'll have
plenty of letters

for you to deliver
to Virginia City.

Tell Adam and Hoss
to start loading.

Right.

I don't see Big Mike around.

No, I guess you won't, either.

Jed Trask relieved him
of his job.

My name's Cartwright.

My sons and I
are helping him out.

- Jed Trask, huh?
- Yeah.

I heard the company was
making some changes here.

Didn't figure they'd
send out Trask.

Why? He's a good
troubleshooter.

Trouble with
some troubleshooters--

they're sometimes bigger trouble

than they're
sent out here to cure.

Well, is that what
you think about Trask?

I do.

And so do a lot of others
at the home office.

Reckon Trask will want
these letters and the waybills.

And this one's
for him personal.

Oh, do you want me
to deliver it?

No, sirree, this is one pleasure
I want for myself.

I've waited a long time
to deliver this letter.

Well, now...

it's getting so
that running a stage

is gonna need a man
who can read and write

better than he can handle a gun
or hitch a team of horses.

All right, there it is.

There's a rundown
on all of the freight

that is due here
in the next few weeks.

Hey, you know, by the time...

by the time we get through
our end of things here,

everything should
be back to normal.

Oh, say, the driver
had a letter for you.

Did he give it to you?

Yeah, it's right here.

Might be a paycheck.

It's about time, yeah?

More trouble?

Nothing I can't handle.

Here, here, here,
let me help you.

Thank you.

There we are.

Where'd you get that?

At the undertaker's.

The undertaker's?

He's also
the local carpenter--

chairs, tables, and coffins
are his specialty.

Well, you can take it back,
I don't want it.

I don't care what you want,
you're going to use it.

You'll just get well
that much sooner.

Don't you agree,
Mr. Cartwright?

Yes, I think I do agree.

All right, all right.

What's this letter?

You keep your hands
away from that!

Oh, Belle...

Belle, I'm sorry.

Being cooped up in this room
has made me kind of shaky.

Maybe you're right
about the chair.

At least I can get
around a little bit, huh?

Well, you know, keeping busy
is certainly better medicine

that just sitting
around in here.

And even in a wheelchair,
there are plenty of things

for you to take care of
down at the depot.

There's something
I'm a lot more anxious

to take care of
than the depot--

that's Mike Campbell.

Now, look, Trask,
you're, you're in no condition

to go riding after
Mike Campbell.

I'm not going to ride
after Big Mike.

I'm gonna sit in that chair,
in front of this hotel,

and sooner or later,

Big Mike is gonna get
brave enough

to come looking for me.

And when he does...

this will be the last
thing he'll ever see.

Well, Trask, you're taking
an awful chance.

Why, in that wheelchair,
you're a sitting duck.

I've been taking chances
for the Sierra for ten years.

Maybe it's become a habit.

You know, honey, I'm real glad
you thought about that chair.

Ben, while you're here,
you want to give me

a hand into the chair?

All right...

All right, all right,
all right, I'll help you.

Here.

Yeah, that's better.

I just want 'em to know
I'm still around.

Are you sure this is
what you want?

I know what I'm doing,
Cartwright.

Well, I hope so.

I'll be across the way
at the depot.

I'm gonna see that the stage
gets off to Virginia City.

Pa, I know this food
ain't got Hop Sing's touch,

but it'll at least keep you
from starving to death.

What are you doing, Hoss,

making a bid for
a second helping?

What's bothering you, Pa?

Oh, nothing really.

Trask?

He's a pretty hard man
to figure, isn't he?

I don't trust him.

Me neither.

It's a strange job,

they picked a strange
man to handle it.

There's certainly no denying
his loyalty to the Sierra.

Loyalty?
It seems he's dedicated

his whole life to it.

Well, that's a point in his
favor, wouldn't you say?

Maybe.

What do you mean?

Well, he's more
than just loyal.

He's become almost
fanatic about it.

And I find it's pretty hard
to trust a fanatic...

no matter how good
his intentions are.

Jed?

What's the matter?

Why don't you let me
help you into bed?

I want to stay up
and think for a while.

Well, that letter must be
mighty important

for you to lose
sleep over it.

That letter is
company business.

You don't have
to worry about it.

What's in it?

I told you,
it's company business.

No, it's more than that.

- Look, don't try to--
- Look, you jumped at me

the first time
I asked you about it,

now you're jumping
at me again.

I know when something's
troubling you.

I've been fired, Belle.

Jed...

this can't be true.

Can't it?

There's always been somebody
in Sierra Management

after my hide.

Somebody who didn't
like my methods.

Ten years of my life I spent
building that stage line.

Ten years.

Now fired.

Just kicked out like that.

It's only a job, honey.

There are plenty of
jobs for a man like you.

Jed Trask doesn't go
around begging for jobs

and he's no
saddle tramp or fool kid

to get kicked
around, either.

Jed, we've got to face
things as they come.

Oh, honey, we've been
through worse things

than this together.

That time that mustang's
hoof opened up your scalp.

Bloody massacre in
the Apache country.

All right, don't tell me,
tell them. Tell the Sierra!

It was my blood and sweat
that marked that stage line

all up and down
the country-- mine!

They supplied
the equipment and the money

and I supplied the guts!

Wherever that line
started to fall apart,

who held it together?
Me--Jed Trask!

Jed, the Sierra is only
a pinpoint in this world.

We can go someplace
where you'd really--

Run out?!

Are you telling
me to run out?!

Oh, no... oh, no...

No, after I get rid of Big Mike

I'm going to make
this our town, Belle.

I'm going to bust
the Sierra so wide open

there won't be
a trace of their mark

left on this territory.

Darling, sit down,
you'll hurt yourself.

I don't need that chair.

I've been hit worse
than this a dozen times.

Jed, will you sit down!

You're in no shape
to be walking around.

Yeah, that's right.

Sure, everybody in town...

has seen me in that chair.

They know I can't walk.

I don't know what
you're thinking, Jed,

but I am not going
to stand here

and watch you get
into trouble.

Yeah...

Yeah, everybody in town
knows I'm tied to this chair.

Oh, oh, oh, boy.

That's funny,
that's real funny.

I didn't want
this chair to begin with,

but now that I got it

I'm going to make
it work for me.

Jed, you can't do this.

What about the Cartwrights?

Yeah, what about them?

I don't owe them anything.

They came along
because Virginia City

was in trouble,
not because of me.

Jed, they came here
as part of a committee

to see that the
stage gets through.

Look, you're not going
to fool them for long.

They're bound
to find out.

Do you think they're just going
to stand here and watch you

ruin the Sierra all over again?

Well, that's up to them, honey.

But they just better
not get in my way.

Weasel...

lock it.

Lock it!

You come around
in front, Weasel.

Get where I can see you.

I don't care
for anybody behind my back.

Now, sit down.

Now, I want Big Mike.

Where is he?

He left town.
You ought to know that.

Thorn, you help me find him.

I'll make it worth your while.

Big Mike set us up.

He covered for us.

Now you expect us
to turn on him?

You'd turn on your own mother,

if there was enough money
in it for you.

You tie up with me
and there will be enough.

What do you take us for, Trask,
babes in the woods?

You don't work
for Sierra anymore.

The driver told us.

He didn't tell anybody else,
I already made sure of that.

So?

What are you
trying to prove, Trask?

Look, Thorn,
I can set you boys up

better than Big Mike ever did.

What's in it for you?

Money, for one thing.

Satisfaction, for another.

I spent ten years building up
that stage line, Thorn.

I know their schedules.

I know every shipment
that comes through here.

I can show you boys
how to make more money

than you ever dreamed of.

You were always known
as a pretty loyal company man.

How do we know you're not

setting us up
for a double cross?

I could have taken
you or anybody else

as easy as this in
the past few days.

Hold it!

Uh... Uh...

Here, have a...
You want a drink with...?

We drinking together?

Now will you help me
find Big Mike?

Yeah, I'll find him.

What about those four men you
brought from Virginia City?

The Cartwrights?

I can handle them
as easy as this.

Do you want me
to handle this, Trask?

Oh, no.

This is a pleasure
I've been saving for myself.

Stay here, boys.

Mike?

Trask.

You should have shot
a lot straighter, Mike.

Now, just a minute, Trask.

Thorn, Weasel, stop him!

All right.

Now we can get back
to more important things.

Sierra.

Hyah! Hyah!

Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa... Whoa!

Hyah! Hyah!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Hello, Jed.
How you feeling?

Oh, I'd feel a lot better

if I could get out
of this blasted wheelchair.

You just stay there
until you're ready to get out.

Morning, Cartwright.

Not such a good morning.

Another freighter overdue.

Oh, yeah.

Big Mike is sure
working overtime, huh?

Well, somebody is
sure working overtime.

Well, it's gotta be Mike.

He's the only one
who has the know-how

to pull off those raids.

Then he has second sight.

Every wagon that was hit

had valuable cargo aboard.

It was almost as if they were
receiving the shipment reports

and schedules
quicker than we did.

I sure wish
I was back on my feet, Ben.

I'd like to give you a hand.

Well, I know you do, Jed. I...

We could sure use another hand.

This is still
my responsibility, Ben.

I won't shirk it.

Jed, I know how you feel.

Look, couldn't we round up

the few honest citizens
left here,

and get all those gunmen
and run them out of town?

Honest citizens?

Ben, these gunmen
are their best customers.

They'd rather run
you out of town... or me.

Well, there must be
a few honest citizens left

with a little bit
of pride in Latigo.

Ben, you're not going
to find one citizen

who's willing to risk his life

in order to clean the scum
out of this town.

Hey, everybody,
look what I got!

It's Big Mike!

Look what I ran across
in Rainbow Canyon.

It's Big Mike, all right, Pa.

That's right, Ben.

I can walk fine.

And this is my town now.

It figures.

I tell you, that man is
an out-and-out fanatic.

He'd fight just as hard
to smash the Sierra as he...

as he would to build it up.

Yeah.
Well, I'll guarantee you,

I wasn't about to try
to stop him out there.

He had...
had too many guns with him.

Yeah. I don't know
how many men

he has backing him,
but he's got enough.

Well, most of the people in
this town seem scared to death.

You think we can count
on any of them?

I don't know, but we'll have to.

Without that stage,

Virginia City is no better
than a ghost town,

and the Ponderosa
is no better off.

How do you think
we ought to go about it, Pa?

Well, we'll... talk
to everybody in town,

see who we can count on.

Oh, that still
isn't gonna be many.

Well, let's hope it's enough.

Come on.

Jed...

I guess there are a few
honest citizens left in Latigo.

And they've decided it's time
for you and your boys to leave.

Oh, now, Ben, there's no call

for you and me
to have any trouble.

Fact is,
I was just on my way to see you.

I wanted to offer you
and your boys a deal.

No trouble...

and no deals.

Just leave.

Well, with all those brave
citizens standing behind you,

I guess I'd be kind of foolish

to make this a showdown,
wouldn't I, Ben?

Whose side are you gonna be on
when I come back?

If they come back,
we'll be ready for them.

Now, we'll get the supplies

and mail ready
for Virginia City.

Until the Sierra sends out
another man,

my sons and I will ride shotgun
on the wagons.

Now, Corkland,
I'd appreciate it very much

if you'd run the depot and...

Well, Mr. Cartwright,
do-do you think

we're going about this
in the right way?

Mr. Corkland,

if you like living in a...
in a state of fear,

we're going at it all wrong.

But if you have any regard
for yourself or your family,

we have no choice.

All right, Joe, take one
of the men, find some wagons.

We're gonna need 'em if
we're gonna load the supplies.

All right. Hey, Corkland,
give me a hand, will ya?

How did it go?

No trouble at all.

I sneaked right up to the barn.

Everybody was so busy worrying
about you coming back,

they never did see me.

What about the Cartwrights?

Well, the way I figure,
they mean business.

Looks like they kind of
took charge, you know?

Take things over.

All right.

Then we'll give 'em
some business.

We'll wait until dusk.

We'll circle back into town.

They ought to still be
in that barn, working.

We'll burn 'em out.

When they come running,

it ought to be like
a turkey shoot for us.

Jed! That's murder
you're planning.

You hold your tongue.

All right, maybe you got
a reason to fight the Sierra,

but that's no reason

to shoot down the Cartwrights
in cold blood.

I told you, you just shut up!

Well, that's 20, Pa.

Good.

There'll be a six-man guard

on the next wagon
that rolls out of here.

Oh, say, I want you
to pass the word around.

Every man will be on duty
from now on.

12 hours on, 12 hours off.

Now, starting tonight...

Turn around.

You Cartwrights outside.

I'm escorting you out of Latigo.

So Trask is sending a woman
to do his work, huh?

I'm trying to save your lives!

Ben...

Ben, please
don't make me shoot.

Now, Belle, I...

Don't...

Don't use that rifle, Belle.

Now, put it down.

Oh, God.

Come on, Belle, sit down.

What was this all about?

Jed.

He's coming out after dark
to burn you out.

Ben, you got
to try to understand.

The Sierra was his life.

When they fired him,
it was as if...

as if they tore out his heart.

Well, thank you, Belle,
for coming to warn us.

It... It must have been
a difficult thing for you to do.

He-He never killed

in cold blood.

Only defending himself

or... or the Sierra.

I'll take her to the hotel, Pa.

Yeah.

Come on, Belle.

Guess we better
get ready for Trask.

Not yet.

Go on, go on.

Hold it! Hold it!

Hold your fire.

Come on!

All right,
a couple of them are hit.

Somebody help them.

Trask...

you and the others--

come on out
with your hands high,

or we'll burn you out!

Trask, I'm going
to count to ten.

One...

two...

Only eight to go.

I'm getting out of here.

Shut up!

Three...

four...

Don't shoot!

Don't shoot!
I'm coming out!

You silly...

Five...

six...

Why don't you
stay and fight, you--

Gotta get
over there, get 'em out!

Jed!

Jed!

Get hold of her.

- Jed!
- Hold it!

You killed him!
You killed him!

He's alive.
He's inside the barn.

But not for long.

Time's up.
Let's burn him out.

Look, I never had any intention
of burning anybody out.

You're not figuring
on taking him alone?

I'd like to talk to him.

We're going in with you.

Look, if we all go in,
he'll start shooting,

somebody'll get hurt.

I think I can
reason with him.

Trask?

I'd like to come in
and talk to you.

Well, come ahead, Ben.

What's your proposition?

I'm willing to listen.

Careful, Pa.

Trask?

Trask?!

Trask!

Jed, I want to talk to you.

Jed?

Jed.

Let's go.

Belle?

Jed!

Jed.

Jed!

Oh, Jed.

Oh, Jed, Jed...

Jed...

Hey, Simms,
where did you learn to spell?

Huh?

There's no "a" in freighters.

Oh...

See here, Simms.

I am not about
to pay these freight bills.

Well, what kind of bone
you got to pick now?

Why, the Sierra's
robbing us blind.

These rates are sky-high.

I won't pay 'em.

Well, don't blame me,
Mr. Walker.

I don't make the rates.

They're standard for everybody.

Now go on inside,
and I'll show you.

Oh...

Hey, Pa, look-- Belle Trask.

Yeah, I'd sure like
to see those potatoes.

Yeah, they must be
going way down in price

to be using them for targets.

Oh, I've had enough shooting
to last me a lifetime,

particularly with somebody
by the name of Trask

at the butt end of a gun.

However,
since she is a friend of ours,

uh, why don't we stop off
at the Comstock,

have dinner and see the show?

- Hey.
- Good idea.

Okay.

This has been
a color presentation

of the NBC Television Network.