Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 5, Episode 14 - The Lila Conrad Story - full transcript

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Another sack of grain.

Six hundred feet of winch rope.

How about giving me
a hand with this rope?

Why, sure.

Thank you.

Come on, Lila.

Baby, you can't be serious
about calling it a night. It's early.

It's not early, Dolph.
It's late, and I'm tired.

Now, go on. Just get out
of here and let me alone.



Sure, I'll leave you alone.

When I'm good and ready.

Dolph, honey, you're
a big man in this town.

You can have anybody
you want. Why pick on me?

Because you're
what I want, Lila.

In this whole lousy town,
you're the only thing I want.

Now, come on, honey. I got all
this money burning in my pockets,

just aching to spend it on you.

Dolph, I told you before
but I'll say it again.

I don't want anything to do
with you, big shot or no big shot.

I just don't want anything to do
with you! Is that clear enough?

What's eating you?

Cheap saloon shill like
you putting on airs with me.

And what's so wrong
with me, anyway?



I'll tell you what's
so wrong with you.

You're a pig!

This is a pretty wild town
you got here, Mr. Jarvis.

Yeah, all sorts of carryings-on.

Now that Judge Knowlton's
got himself booted out of here,

it's gonna get worse.

Yeah, well, your loss
is our gain, I think.

The judge was real lucky that you and
Adam allowed him to accompany you.

Out there on the trail by himself,
he'd get lost inside an hour.

You better watch out and not let him
catch you dipping into the prune box

or snitching any loaf sugar.

You're liable to get
yourself tossed into jail.

Or even worse, you're
liable to get a talking-to.

My brother Hoss is kind of
the dipping, snitching kind.

He's not with us this trip.

Hey, listen, why don't you go
inside there and add that stuff up

- so I can get an early start out of here.
- Right, you bet.

Well, that ought about do it.

I wanna thank you again,
Mr. Jarvis, for staying open so late.

It'll give us a chance
for an early start.

Weren't nothing, Little Joe.

Give my best to your pa
when you get to Ponderosa.

I'll do that. Good night, sir.

And watch your step
in front of the judge.

He's got a powerful
sense of righteousness.

- Don't worry, I'll stay clear of him.
- Heh.

Come on.

What was that, Sarah?

- Nothing, I was just humming.
- Humming what?

I don't know. It's just a tune.
It just popped into my head.

I'm sorry, David.

Your wagon's in good shape,
judge. You shouldn't have trouble.

Well, I'm not expecting any.

Although, I appreciate the opportunity
of accompanying you, Adam.

Well, we're honored. Pa
has often talked of you.

So many things I
had to leave behind.

My ormolu clock,
the sideboard. My.

Well, I hear the Fourth Judicial
District is a very pleasant place.

You should be happy there.

I doubt that they want justice
there any more than they did here.

David was brutally beaten
last year. Did you know that?

Man of your reputation, I
find that hard to believe.

No, it's true enough.

Before that, they tried to bribe
me. And then they threatened me.

But David never
wavered, Adam. Not once.

Good evening, Mrs. Knowlton.
Judge. Hey, Adam, that's quite a town

they got there. Wish
we had some more time.

- They got some good-looking women...
- Young man.

Saloons and the people
that infest them breed crime

and violence in the same way
that a swamp breeds malaria.

Stay away from the girls
and the whiskey traders

and the easy companions,
boy, before they drag you down.

Excuse me a minute, judge, uh. Joe,
would you check the stock, please?

Yeah, sure thing, Adam.

With all due respect, sir, I
think you're overstepping a bit.

I just can't stand by and watch
young men take the wrong path.

Yeah, but I don't think you
have to worry about my brother.

There are demons in every
man that have to be controlled.

And those people feed on that.

You must listen to my husband,
Adam. He knows about those things.

Well, excuse me, but, uh, we're all
gonna be living kind of close together

for the next few days, so I
think we might get along better

if, uh, you can sort of take the
Cartwrights as you find them.

If you insist.

I'm afraid I do.

Good evening.

Oh, please, mister,
let me explain.

It's not that we wouldn't
like your company, ma'am,

but I think you'd be more comfortable
on a regular stage line, heh.

You've gotta help me.
You've gotta help me get away.

What's it all about?
What do you mean?

There's a man out to kill me.

He said I stole money from
him, but I didn't. I'll swear I didn't.

Why don't you just
go to the sheriff, then?

Our sheriff?

Why, the men in town won't
even let him out with a loaded gun.

Oh, please, if you'd
just let me explain.

All right.

All right, suppose we
start with your name.

Lila. Lila Conrad.

Joe Cartwright. This is, uh,
my wagon you're sitting in.

Please, mister, they'll
come after me for sure.

Don't let him take me back.

That man will use
any excuse to kill me.

Okay, we'll do all we can.

- Why don't you come on out of there?
- No!

No, I gotta stay right here
till you're out of the area.

- You all set, judge?
- Yeah, whenever you're ready.

Uh, we'll probably
stop around midday.

All right, Joe, let's go.

Okay, you stay put.

All right, let's move out.

Hyah!

Hold those wagons! Hold it!

I'm Sheriff Cogan.

We're looking for
a girl. Lila Conrad.

Well, I'm sure she's not here.

Maybe not. We've
still gotta look.

- All right, what's the idea?
- Now, get on out of there.

What for?

Oh, you wanna know what for.

Well, show him what for, Pete.

- All right, break it up.
- Take it easy, Hagen.

You take it easy, sheriff.

- Bust open them wagons!
- You back off.

I work for Dolph Rimbeau.
He's a good friend of mine too.

And we're gonna get
that girl that killed him.

All right, turn them
wagons over if you have to.

Stop that, you men.

- Howdy, judge.
- What's the meaning of all this?

- Have you got a warrant, sheriff?
- No, judge, but...

Then you got no right
to touch these wagons.

Never mind all that. She's
here, Cogan. She's got to be.

We can't go against
a federal judge, Bob.

- This ain't his district no more.
- He's still a judge.

What is all this?

We found Dolph Rimbeau
this morning, Your Honor.

He'd been stabbed to death.

Not 20 feet from where
this Lila Conrad lives.

Some of the boys saw
him follow her home.

She done it. She's
gonna pay for it.

We're gonna fix her good.

You won't find the
girl here, sheriff.

A lot of room in these wagons.

The judge wouldn't have
nothing to do with helping her.

And there's a penalty
for unwarranted search.

Well, I suppose she still
could be in town somewheres.

Our mistake, Your Honor.

All right, mount up!

Sorry, mister.

Let's get out of here. I've seen
enough of Silver Hills and its citizens.

Adam, listen, that, uh...

That girl, Lila Conrad,

I got her hiding in
the back of my wagon.

She is what?

What can I do? I just found
her back there a little while ago.

She didn't say
anything about a killing.

I couldn't turn her over to men like
that. She wouldn't have a chance.

All right, we'll
talk about it later.

All right, let's move out!

Ha!

Hyah!

Well, I guess we're far
enough from Silver Hills now.

Okay, I'll get her out of
the back of the wagon.

Judge, could I see you a minute?
- Certainly.

I think I'm going to need
some legal advice from you.

Out here?

Come here, will you?

My brother Adam, Judge
Knowlton, Ms. Lila Conrad.

Hello.

I suppose there's no point to my
asking how this woman got here.

Yeah, I brought her.

I think you've overstepped
the law, and that's bad enough.

But you've also involved
me, and I cannot tolerate that.

Not for a creature like this.

I know what you're thinking.

I heard what those
men accused me of.

But I didn't do it.

I'll swear to you, I didn't
kill Dolph Rimbeau.

I'll introduce you
to Mrs. Knowlton.

She can fix you
something to eat maybe.

You're not taking
her near my wife.

All right, I'll fix you
something to eat myself.

Take her back to
Silver Hills, Adam.

Be there by nightfall.

Judge, you told me yourself
how corrupted that town is,

including the sheriff.

How they beat you,
tried to bribe you.

You also saw those
men this morning.

Now what chance would
that girl have with them?

Very well. We'll be in
Harleyville in a few days.

I want her turned over
to the authorities there.

To be returned to Silver Hills
by them. It's all the same thing.

Wouldn't it be better if we
could get her to Virginia City

and find an attorney
that would help her?

Why are you so concerned?
Stop and think if she's worth it.

A fugitive, an accused murderess,
a common dancehall girl,

and Lord knows what else.

You left out something.

She's also a human being.

I'd heard Dolph Rimbeau had a couple
of brothers in Texas or somewhere.

I wondered when
you'd be showing up.

Well, you've seen them
now. I'm Gabe, that's Arnie.

I told them how Dolph
got killed with them scissors

by that Lila Conrad woman.
How she got off scot-free.

We hear she got away.

Hid out in a couple of wagons.

We don't know that for sure.

Well, she ain't here in town.
We been watching all the roads.

So she had to be in
one of them wagons.

Well, that's proof
enough for us, sheriff.

I'm sure you don't mind if
we kind of deputize ourselves

without no formalities.

There's a federal judge
along with them wagons.

It'll have to be your
own responsibility.

That's all right, sheriff. We
wouldn't have it any other way.

Be right with you, fellas.

Stay out of this, junior.

Come on, let's go.

David, you've hardly
touched your food.

I don't want any more, Sarah.

Don't let that girl upset you.

Can't you see what
she's doing to those boys?

Sarah.

The Cartwrights
seem like fine people.

The country is
fair and pleasant.

I looked forward to this
as a change, a respite.

But I find it even here.

Evil and the filth
and the blindness.

David, you'll work
yourself up into a state.

Will it never end?

Where can I lay my burden down?

Must I be the only
one to fight evil?

You take too much on yourself.

Can't you see what's happening?
Can't you see anything?

I try my best.

Yes.

I suppose you do.

And I take comfort in that.

You try.

But my shoulders must be
strong enough to bear it alone.

As always.

- He's just busting to get me, isn't he?
- Well, Adam's gonna talk to him,

try to bring him
around a little bit.

I better get things
ready to move out.

I was, uh, hoping for a
chance to talk to you, judge.

I have nothing to say to you.

I know what you did
for me this morning...

A mistake. And I wouldn't have
done a thing like that for you.

Turned out that
way, though, didn't it?

I know a big important man
like you hardly knows I'm alive.

Again, you're mistaken.
I'm very aware of you.

Well, then.

I thought there might be
some way I could thank you.

There isn't.

You likely saved my life. I
just can't let it go that easily.

You're wasting your
time, Ms. Conrad.

I'm not an impressionable
young man like Little Joe.

You must be very frightened
to humiliate yourself like this.

I've got nothing to
be frightened about.

The law will be
satisfied, Ms. Conrad.

You're going to be punished,
one way or the other.

Why, you're trembling.

Sarah, that woman came to me.

I can't even repeat
what she did.

You don't have
to. I can imagine.

She's very pretty.

- A lesser man...
- And they are lesser men.

She'll get to one of them.

Maybe she has already.

Oh, Sarah, after the
mistake I made today,

I can't let that woman escape
her just punishment. No.

Sarah, it's up to me.

I'll keep my eye on her
every minute from now on.

All right, let's go!

Hyah!

My brother and I talked it
over this afternoon, judge.

We're going all the way
through to Virginia City.

We won't be
stopping in Harleyville.

Very well. My wife and
I will go to Harleyville

and do what has to be done.

I wish you wouldn't do that.

I feel there's a better chance
for justice in Virginia City.

You leave justice to
me. That's my business.

I just don't see what harm it would
do to take Ms. Lila on to Virginia City.

All we wanna do is see
that she gets a fair chance.

She's gotten to you, hasn't she?

Just as I said she would.
Just as she tried with me.

Oh, it's no use.

Don't even waste
your breath on him.

Go on. Comfort her.
Take her in your arms

if that's what you wanna do.

But I'll have the final word.

She's going to be
arrested in Harleyville.

Well, we're not there yet.

If she's left you a
scrap of common sense,

don't try to stop me.

Well, what do we do now?

We take her on into
Virginia City like we decided.

Good.

I just can't believe
she killed anybody.

Well, it's not up
to us to judge her.

He has, hasn't he?

I just can't figure out why he's
so determined to punish her.

Ah, he thinks he
speaks for the law.

Doesn't even represent
this district anymore.

Why doesn't he
just leave her alone?

Maybe he can't.

Leave me alone.

What do you want?

You're frightened of something.

Yes. I'm scared stiff.

Does that make you happy?

What are you afraid of?

Perhaps it's your own
conscience you're afraid of.

You let me worry
about my conscience.

I'd a lot rather live
with that than get hung.

You won't have to
get hung, Ms. Conrad.

What do you think they're gonna
do if you send me back to Silver Hills?

I can help you.

Now, that's more like it.

What do you want?

What's your price, judge?

People can tell you I
have no price, Ms. Conrad.

Oh, everybody wants something.

A smile, a kiss,

someone to tell them
how handsome they are.

Something.

Do you think Little
Joe wants something?

Or his brother?

Oh, they'll get around to it.

Nothing for nothing. I
learned that pretty early, judge.

Perhaps they do, but I don't.

All I want is to see your
feet on the right path again.

Oh? And how do
we accomplish that?

Confess everything
you've ever done.

I'll intercede for you and get you
off with a moderate prison term.

What kind of help is that?

It's the only real help
anybody can offer.

Thanks, I'll take my chances.

When you were a little girl,
your father punished you.

- Yeah, all the time.
- That was the right thing to do.

It hurt, you didn't like it.

You're darn right.

Yes, but he was doing his duty
to teach you right from wrong.

And when it was
over, you felt better

because your slate
had been wiped clean

and you felt you
could start fresh.

Well, that's what
I'm offering you, Lila.

- A clean slate.
- I'm not going to prison.

Aren't you in prison right
now? Of your own making?

Aren't you in prison every time
you sit down with a man you despise

simply because he has the
price of a couple of drinks?

What's so wrong with that?

Lila, have you lured
men into gambling?

- Sure.
- Well, how many wives

and children have gone
hungry because of you?

- I don't know and I don't care.
- But this was wrong.

So it's wrong. I
told you I don't care!

- Have men robbed for you?
- Leave me alone!

Have men fought over
you? Shed blood for you?

- I don't wanna listen to this!
- Lila, have you killed?

Stop it!

Stop it! Stop it! Stop.

I'll help you, Lila.

I'm the only one that can.

Now go not like the quarry
slave scourged to his dungeon,

but sustained and soothed.

And in a few years, Lila,
when your prettiness has faded,

what will you do then?

I don't know. I never
had time to think about it.

Now's the time to
think about it, Lila.

You must build a beauty from
within. A true beauty to shine forever.

You're a lovely woman, Lila, but you
use your loveliness for bad reasons.

You must use it to inspire
men, not to degrade them.

But it won't be easy, will it?

Brutally hard.

It is always hard to do
something you know is right.

You must try, Lila.

We all must try.

He hasn't let her alone
for a minute all afternoon.

Wonder what a man can
have to talk that much about?

I'd say that depended
on the subject.

Come, girl.

There's been a change in plans, Adam.
Lila's turning herself in at Harleyville.

Is that what you want, Lila?

- It's best this way, Adam.
- I hope you appreciate

that I'm saving you
from a serious mistake.

Lila, why are you doing this?

Because I did kill
Dolph Rimbeau.

Go ahead, Lila,
tell them all about it.

Dolph followed me
to my room that night.

I hated his insides.

I told him a million times I didn't
want anything to do with him.

He got nasty,

real nasty, and started
slapping me around.

I picked up the pair
of scissors and hit him.

I don't know, maybe I
hit him more than once.

Sounds like a pretty
good case of self-defense.

I don't think they'd send
you to prison for that.

No. No, Adam, it was wrong.

I must be punished.

You see, I thought
Dolph had passed out,

and I tried to lift his wallet.

That's when he
started beating me.

I didn't mean to
lie to you, Little Joe.

I didn't know Dolph was dead
until the posse stopped us.

Don't you see, Adam?
It's better this way.

Look, whether it's
self-defense or not,

you're not gonna get a fair
trial back there in Silver Hills.

Lila, you'd better turn in.
We got a busy day tomorrow.

Do you know what
you're doing to this girl?

No. No, the judge is right.

There's so many
things I've done.

Evil things.

They'll keep haunting
me until I pay for them.

Oh, Little Joe.

I'm more content than
I've been in a long time.

Truly.

Sarah.

Would you make Lila comfortable?

Lila and I will be leaving
early in the morning.

I trust you will look after
Sarah in my absence.

Yes, we'll look
after her, judge.

Very well, gentlemen.
I bid you good evening.

Adam, I just can't
understand her.

How could she let the judge talk
her into going back there for trial?

I don't know. It wasn't
all the judge's doing.

All that guilt building up
inside of her all that time.

He just happened to say
the right words to bring it out.

What does she do when
he's not around anymore?

It's hard to say.

But he's a crutch that
she needs desperately.

Take it away and maybe
she walks by herself,

or maybe she goes back
to being what she was.

Anyway, we won't
be around to find out.

I'll take the first watch.
You better get some sleep.

Yeah. Right.

It's all right. Take it easy.

Come up into the light.

That's what we're fixing to do.

I'm Gabe. This here is Arnie.

Were deputies from
over the Silver Hills.

I'm Adam Cartwright.
This is my, uh, brother Joe.

What's going on here?

We understand you've got a woman
with you by the name of Lila Conrad.

We have. I'm Judge Knowlton.

Where is she?
We're taking her back.

You have nothing to
worry about, gentlemen.

Ms. Conrad made a
complete confession to me.

As a matter of fact, I
was planning on taking her

into Harleyville in
the morning myself.

Well, then we'll
save you a trip, judge.

I don't think you understand.

You see, there are certain
extenuating circumstances.

I am responsible for her.

You ain't got any more
responsibility, judge.

We're the law. We're
taking her back now.

Uh...

Is that her?

Yes.

Perhaps I should accompany
you gentlemen back,

- in the event that you need...
- That's all we need.

Just get her ready.

There's no need to
take her away now.

She can't get away.

You might give
her the night to rest.

Hey, Arnie, looks like she made
a lot of real good friends here.

Hmm.

We're sorry to spoil your fun, mister,
but, uh, why don't you play it smart

and just don't give
us any trouble?

Well, I'm all for
avoiding trouble.

And I think the easiest way is
for you to wait here till morning.

Yeah, well, uh, ahem, it'll be daylight
in a couple of hours, Gabe. No harm.

- We can wait.
- I thought you could.

- You get a good look at her?
- Yeah, heh.

Dolph could sure pick them, huh?

You know, Arnie, this may
not be such a bad trip after all.

You'd best turn in now, child.

You'll need all your strength.

Let her rest.

I mean,

you've done so
much for her already.

Sarah, are you
questioning my judgment?

I've never done that, David.

Then don't presume to now.

No, of course
not. It's just that...

That what?

There's so much ahead
of you in your new district.

So much for us to
think about and plan for.

I assure you, Sarah,
I'm well aware of that.

Sometimes a man, a
good man, can work so hard

for something he believes
in, he loses sight of himself.

Please, Sarah, go
to bed. It's very late.

Are you coming?

I'm not very tired. I think
I'll stay up for a while.

You've done all you can.
You've got to accept that.

Tomorrow, she'll be gone.

David.

I love you.

Please, Sarah, just go to bed.

Can't sleep?

No, me neither.

I'm gonna go back
with you tomorrow.

I'll be all right, Little Joe.

You saw those two
deputies that came for you.

Lila, just exactly
how much punishment

does the judge's
program call for?

If it wasn't right, he'd tell
me. He wouldn't let me go.

How can I get through to you? He
doesn't know what's right for everyone.

I don't know about
everyone, but it's right for me.

He saved me, Little Joe.
Don't you understand?

Oh, Lila, he helped you
because you wanted to be helped.

He's shown me the way.

I know I must be
punished for my sins.

Whether you should be
punished or not is up to a jury.

Everybody in this life, regardless of
what they've done, deserves a fair trial.

I'm not arguing with the judge
whether you should face this thing or not.

Certainly, you should.

But face it where
you've got a chance.

He doesn't know everything.

Some things you have
got to figure out for yourself.

Can't you understand that?

What's the use?

Try to get some sleep.
I'll see you in the morning.

- Mr. Cartwright.
- Oh.

Morning, Mrs. Knowlton.

- Have you seen the judge?
- No, ma'am, I haven't. What's wrong?

- Uh...
- He must be around somewhere.

Two of the horses are missing.

- Adam!
- But the horses could've

wandered off during
the night, couldn't they?

- It's not likely, ma'am.
- Hey, come on. Get up.

- What is it, Joe?
- The judge and Lila are gone.

My husband has
left with that girl.

Well, we don't know it
happened that way, ma'am.

Oh, yes, we know
that's how it happened.

We all know that.

I can understand how it happened

with that woman.

Surely...

Let us sleep out the night, huh?

You did a good job, mister.

I wouldn't be surprised if you
were in cahoots with that judge.

Well, maybe he's just taking
her as far as Harleyville.

Come on, Arnie, we
can still catch him.

I'm going with them.

- Well, watch yourself.
- Right.

- It's no use.
- Well, we can't stay here.

We've gotta keep moving.

- We ride double. It's the only way.
- No, judge.

Judge, we shouldn't
have come this far.

I'm not going to let
those men take you.

I have to go back and
face it sometime, don't I?

And when that time
comes, I'm going to be there.

Oh, here they come.

- Come on, there's no time to lose.
- We can't make it.

- We can make it. Now, hurry.
- It's no use.

I'll go back to Silver
Hills with them.

You're not ready.

Not ready?

Lila, you believe

that I've always told you
what's right, don't you?

I know I have to be punished.

There's time enough for
that. Things are different now.

- Come on. Take cover over here.
- What?

Get down.

Lila, you have to believe that I
can decide what's right for you.

You see, all of my life has
been given to law and justice.

You believed, you listened.
I saved you, didn't I, Lila?

But my punishment...

Punishment means nothing.

As long as you confess and
repent, that's all that really matters.

And I'm going to take
care of you from now on.

Now, if I could just fire over
their heads so they'd realize

what sort of man they're dealing
with and leave us in peace.

You mean the two of us?

By ourselves, away
from everybody else?

That's right, Lila.

The two of us alone.

They won't get you.

You belong to me now.

I'll cover you. You work
your way down the draw

and come up from the
other side and pick him off.

Wait. Let me have a
chance to talk to him first.

Uh-uh. We should've never let
you come with us in the first place.

Go on.

You're gonna have a lot of explaining
to do when we get back to Silver Hills.

I'll tell you what. Why don't
you go back and explain for us?

And be sure to tell the
sheriff the Rimbeau brothers

thank him very kindly
for these badges.

- Rimbeau?
- Like in Dolph Rimbeau.

The man she killed.

What's the matter, Lila?

I have to be punished.

I have to be cleansed.

No, pure. To be
pure all for you.

All of this for you,
isn't that right, judge?

Stop it.

Everything I thought you were...

- Stop it.
- And you're nothing.

A big, talking, empty nothing

- that wants me.
- Wants you?

Just like every other
man wanted me.

- Wants you?
- And I thought you were different!

- I believed you.
- Lila, I tried to help you.

You help me.

- Oh, how you help me, you pig!
- Stop it.

Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

Stop it! Stop it!

- Oh, judge.
- I'll be all right.

Arnie!

Take the horse.

You can get away.

You'd let me go?

I'll bet that's the longest
50 feet he ever walked.

Sarah.

Help me.

David. David. David.

We'll get you a lawyer as
soon as we get to Virginia City.

Thanks.

I'll always be
grateful to you both.

Well, you'll get a fair trial. Now you
don't have anything to be afraid of.

I don't think I'll
ever be afraid again.

What are you gonna
do about the judge?

About telling Pa he
was a friend of his?

Well, we'll just tell him the
truth. That, uh, two people got lost

and took a little time
to find themselves.