Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 5, Episode 31 - The Dark Past - full transcript

Dev Farnum's horse goes lame. He's near the Ponderosa and stops for some help. He gets another horse from the Cartwrights but hasn't enough money to pay them. He offers to work for it but when he develops a lot of blisters, they find out he's not just a preacher's son. He's also a bounty hunter.

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Hurry it up, boys. We've
got plenty of work to do.

Be right with you, Pa.

- Howdy. How you doing, sir?
- Fine.

My mount stumbled
up the road here apiece.

He's gone lame on me.

I was wondering,
maybe I could stable him

until I can find a
vet or something.

Oh, let's have a
look at him. Hoss.

That boy of mine is as
good as any vet around.



Looks like that little
pony's in some pain.

Yeah, it's his right foreleg.

Take a look at him, Hoss.

- My sons Adam and Joe Cartwright.
- Hi.

- Dev Farnum.
- How are you?

Dev.

Any relation to Devery
Farnum, the preacher?

- Are you his boy?
- That's right.

Well, I've often heard your
father preach. How is he?

He's dead.

Oh, I...

I'm sorry to hear
that. I didn't know.

The Lord giveth and
the Lord taketh away.

I'm terribly sorry.



We all gotta go sometime.

Afraid I got some
bad news for you.

You got a broken bone in
that foreleg. It ain't gonna heal.

It's gonna get more
and more painful.

Well, I guess there's
only one thing to do.

Seems a terrible shame. He's
a mighty good-looking pony.

- How long you had him?
- Two or three years, I guess.

- You want me to do it for you?
- Why?

Well, normally a fella that's had
the same mount for two or three years

finds this sort of
thing hard to do.

No, not this fella.

He sure is a cool customer.

His father was known as
a very warmhearted man.

What do you think of him?

No. No, I, uh... Ahem.

Look, I can't
afford it. I'm broke.

Come on, you take the horse.

You'll pay us for him
when your luck runs better.

I don't wanna owe
anybody any money.

Come on, don't be
so bullheaded about it.

This is no country for a man
on foot. You ought to know that.

I do know that.

I was thinking maybe I could
work out the price of the horse.

Actually, that's not a bad idea.

- All our men are out on a cattle drive...
- I'll get at it.

I'll put my gear in the
bunkhouse and I'll get at it.

He's a strange one.

Well, we can use the help.

Hi, Dev.

How are those
blisters on your hands?

Yeah, they're all right.

I brought you some salve. You
put it on there, it's good for them.

You're not used to
ranch work, are you?

Nope.

Well, what do you do ordinarily?

I'm a hunter.

A hunter? You're not gonna find
much game around these parts.

Oh, it depends upon what
kind of game you're looking for.

- You're a bounty hunter?
- Yeah, does that shock you?

It doesn't shock me. It just
surprises me a little, that's all.

A minister's son.

Yeah, why?

Hunting down men,
living alone. No friends.

That's what I
like about it most.

I hope this salve helps.

Whoa.

Pete.

- Pete, are you all right?
- Why, sure. Oh, what's the trouble?

Who's he?

Pete Burnside.

Old Pete the
Swamper, they call him.

Clean-up man at
one of the saloons.

Looks to me like his
specialty is cleaning up bottles.

Yeah, I'm afraid it is.

Come on, Pete. I'll get you home
before you get in any more trouble.

That's okay, Little
Joe. I'm all right.

We're just gonna
take you home anyway.

Why don't you just leave him
here. He's nothing but a drunk.

He's got a little shack in
the alley. Help me with him.

Come on, give me
a hand with him.

Yeah.

Thanks. Thanks,
Little Joe. I'm okay now.

Yeah, I know. I know
you're okay, Pete,

but we'll just help you
right inside anyway.

I don't need any
help, Little Joe.

- It's our pleasure, Pete.
- I don't need any help, Little Joe.

No, not much,
you don't. All right.

- There you go.
- Is that you, Pop?

Hey, Holly, how long
you been in town?

Hello, Little Joe.

Pop, you promised.

- Oh, I forgot, Holly.
- Forgot what?

It's supposed to be a
secret where I am, Little Joe.

You see, there's this
here European nobleman

pestering me to marry him
and he won't leave me alone.

- Holly. Please, Holly.
- He won't take no for an an...

That's what got
you in trouble before

because you just don't
seem to wanna tell the truth.

Now, what's it all about?

- Are you running from the law?
- No, honest.

- I'll swear to that on my mother's Bible.
- Never mind, Holly.

Pete, what's it all about?

She never should have come
here. It's the first place he'll look.

- Who will look?
- Where else could I go but home?

Little Joe, you can help me.

Now, wait a minute, Holly.

Sure he will. The
Cartwrights always help us.

And this wouldn't be any
bother to you, Little Joe.

Now, all you have to do is
hide me out at the Ponderosa.

Hide you?

It's the last time I'll ever ask
anything of you, Little Joe.

Oh, Holly, I've heard
that so many times before.

Little Joe, you always
know when I'm fibbing.

Now look at me.

I'm scared.

Scared right
through to the bone.

If I can't turn to you, I...

- All right, tell me what it's all about.
- I can't, honest.

Holly, you want me to help you,
but you won't tell me anything.

Little Joe, can't you please help
me without asking questions?

All right.

All right, you can stay at the
Ponderosa a couple of days.

We'll pick you up after dark. That
way you can hide in the supply wagon.

Thank you, Little Joe.

You wanna thank me,
Pete, you'll lay off the bottle.

For Holly's sake.

I'll try.

Okay.

We'll pick you up
after we load supplies.

Little Joe.

The Cartwrights I can
trust, but how about him?

Oh, I'm just a hired hand,
ma'am. I obey orders.

Besides, I don't have any
interest in your troubles.

Oh, boy, when there's
trouble to be found,

you can trust Holly Burnside
to fly to it like a homing pigeon.

And it's up to somebody
else to get her out of it.

- Why is that?
- Why is what?

Why is it up to somebody
else to help her?

Why don't you let her
scramble for herself?

Because she's
Holly. She's a friend.

Friends help other friends,
that's what they're for.

Sounds to me like a good
reason not to have friends.

Of course, you can stay here,
Holly, for as long as you like.

- We've missed you.
- Thank you.

I think I'll get some
coffee for everybody.

Pa, see if Hop Sing has any
cookies in the kitchen, will you?

Yup.

Holly, what's the matter?

Oh, it's just these dizzy
spells I keep getting.

I am dead tired and
would like to go to bed.

Dev, take Holly up to
the room. I'll get your bag.

If I could just
lean on you a little.

All right.

Oh, I guess all any woman wants
is a man to lean on once in a while.

We're on our way
to church in town.

You wanna ride along with us?

No.

Then you mind spending
a little time with Holly?

She's still not feeling too
well. It's kind of lonely for her.

Yeah, well, I do mind.

It scares you, doesn't it,

when you feel yourself on
the verge of liking somebody?

Oh?

I wasn't aware I was
even on the verge.

Oh, really? I seem to
notice the last few days

if Holly so much as smiles at you,
you find an excuse to get away from her.

You're talking nonsense, boy.

- I don't think so.
- I do.

Then why do you object just to
spending a little time with her?

Sunday's my day off.

Why do I have to spend
my day off nursemaiding?

Because you need the money.

We'll pay extra wages if you
just spend a little time with Holly.

Listen, that's fair enough.

We're gonna leave now.

We promised Holly we'd
see her father before church.

Don't let me detain you.

- Hold on.
- Whoa. Whoa, whoa.

- Joe, let's you and I go check on Pete.
- Right.

- You two fellas go ahead on.
- All right.

Giddyup.

I hope he's not
on another drunk.

Pete?

It's Ben Cartwright.

He's probably sleeping it off.

We'll try again after church.

You done good, pop.

Now, then, where's
your daughter?

I keep telling
you, I don't know.

Sure you do.

Where is she?

I ain't seen her
since she run off.

You know what?

Right after you tell
me where Holly is,

I'm gonna buy you a
big bottle of red-eye.

I don't want any.

Yes, sir.

A whole bottle of red-eye

all for yourself.

Nobody can say Jamey
Boy Briggs hasn't a soft heart.

Soft heart, huh?

Well, I heard different.

I heard...

You know what a liar Holly is.

I don't know where she is.

I don't know. I don't know!

You ain't gonna be so foolish as
to not tell me what I wanna know.

No, Jamey.

No. Jamey, no.

Jamey.

Oh, hello.

Anything I can do for you?

- Not a thing.
- Okay.

I would like a little
company, though.

All right.

I gotta tell you, I'm not a
very good conversationalist.

This is awful nice of you.

No, it isn't nice of me.
I'm getting paid for this.

Cartwrights are giving
me a full day's wages

just to fetch and carry for you
until they get back from church.

Did you have to tell me?

I like to keep the
record straight.

I wish you hadn't.

It'd be more fun to think
you were visiting on your own.

I'm sorry.

Some conversation.

Listen, I told you that I
wasn't very good at this.

Would you like to read to me?

My eyes are tired
from all this sewing.

If you'd like me to read to you.

Would you get my sewing
basket? There's a book in it.

You know, my eyes
aren't really tired.

The truth is I...

I never went to school long
enough to learn to read good.

I wonder why I fib so much.

I wouldn't know
anything about that.

I guess it's because
I was always nothing.

So I make these big lies up

to make people think I
was really something.

Then I get to believing
the lies myself.

That's a Bible.

- I take it with me wherever I go.
- Ahem.

It's the only thing I
have of my mother's.

The 23rd Psalm is my favorite.

"The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures.

He leadeth me
beside the still waters."

He restoreth my soul. Amen.

Don't read it like that.

Like what?

Like you're making fun of
it. Like you don't believe it.

But I don't believe it.

You don't believe in the Bible?

That's right.

Oh, don't worry. God
isn't gonna strike me down

with a lightning bolt
or anything like that.

What kind of upbringing did
you have that you talk like that?

My father was a minister.

A minister?

Well, then what happened to you?

Unto thee will I cry,
O Lord, my rock.

Be not silent to me.

Lest, if thou be silent to me,

I become like them
that go down into the pit.

That's not the 23rd Psalm.

No, that's the 28th Psalm.

What's it mean?

It means to me...

that I called to him...

and he was stone deaf.

And that I went
down into the pit.

I hardly ever understand
a word you say.

Heh. That's
probably just a well.

But you know something?

Dumb as I am,

nothing that I am, I'd
rather be me than you.

That's your privilege.

You want me to read
some more to you?

- Listen.
- What?

If you listen real
hard, you can just...

barely hear the
steeple bells from town.

Church must be over.

Pete!

Pete. Pete.

He's been shot.

Let Holly know I didn't tell.

What?

- What'd you say?
- I'm just a no-good drunk...

but I didn't tell.

Joe, you better tell Holly about
this. Get the sheriff, will you?

Thank you.

Pop.

Poor Pop.

Sheriff has a posse
out looking for the killer.

They'll never catch him.

Once he gets into
that back country...

Holly.

Who is he?

Who's the killer?

I don't know.

Is it your husband?

I'm not married. Where'd
you ever get an idea like that?

Holly, Holly. We all
know that you're married.

Pop told you before he died?

No.

No, he didn't tell
anybody anything.

Well then?

Anybody can see there was
a wedding band on that hand

not too long ago.

Then you knew all along.

Why didn't you say something?

Well, we just thought you'd...

You'd get around to
telling us everything

when you thought
the time was right.

Holly, I think the
time is right now.

Maybe later.

I have to be by myself
a little while and think.

What'll be done about
the burying, Little Joe?

I'll make all the arrangements
for the funeral in Virginia City.

But then I can't go.

I can't be seen.

All right. We'll...

We'll bury your father here on
the ranch if that's what you want.

Thank you, Little Joe.

And, Dev?

Yes, ma'am?

Will you please say a
few words at the burial?

Me? No.

You know how I feel
about things like that.

Just the same,
you're a minister's son

and you know how to
do these things proper.

It's out of the question.

Pop deserves to
be buried proper.

Yeah, but not by me.

Don't you worry about it, Holly.

We'll make sure
everything works out fine.

What's the matter with you?
Was that asking too much?

I'm quitting, Cartwright.

You tell your father that I'll pay him
what I owe on that horse soon as I can.

We won't lose any sleep over it.

Well, in that case, I'll
just be on my way, then.

Do I know you?

No, I know you, Wetzell.

- Where from?
- Oh, a hundred different towns.

A hundred different names,
a hundred different faces.

But you're always the same.

- You're a slimy no-good.
- Now wait a minute, mister...

You know how I find you?

I ask around town.

Who is the greediest, most
gutless tinhorn in this whole town?

Well, in Virginia City,
his name's Wetzell

and he's got your face.

What have you got
against me, mister?

I haven't got
anything against you.

I just wanna talk a little
business with you. That's all.

Business?

What kind of business?

I'm a bounty hunter.

Oh?

You're gonna help me
nail the man I'm after.

- Who?
- Jamey Boy Briggs.

Phew.

I hadn't even heard
he was back in town.

Well, he murdered
a man this morning.

I doubt if he's
out advertising it

He the one who killed
Pete the Swamper?

- Yep.
- You sure?

I'm reasonably
sure. I'm not a judge.

Well, I'm not agreeing to anything,
but there's no harm in listening.

All right.

I was on Jamey Boy's trail,
my luck went a little sour on me.

I had to take myself a job.

I knew that Jamey Boy's
wife had run off from him.

He's been looking
for her ever since.

I found his wife.

What good is that?

I figure that if he
knows where she is,

he'll come out of hiding.

And then you nail him.

Mm-hm.

That's a $5,000 nail, Wetzell.

You get one-fifth, that's
$1,000, for doing your part.

My part, huh?

It's about time we got
around to talking about that.

All you have to do
is tell Jamey Boy

that his wife's out at
the Cartwright ranch.

And just like that
he believes me, huh?

Well, he'll believe this.

A Bible?

That's Jamey Boy's wife's Bible.

She takes that
every place she goes.

Open it up, look at the
name in the front there.

"Hollybelle Burnside Briggs."

One thousand dollars, Wetzell.

When's the last time you
ever saw a thousand dollars?

It's been a long, long time.

You done real good.

Jamey Boy ain't one to forget.

What about him?

What are you doing?
They'll hear you.

There's rope in my
saddlebag. Go get it.

Holly?

Holly!

- Dev.
- Where's Holly?

- Holly's up in her room. Get her, Joe.
- Right, Pa.

Easy.

- Easy.
- Unh.

- Gash in your head.
- I'm gonna be all right.

What happened?
Dev, what happened?

Pa, Holly's not in her room.

- Huh?
- Holly's not in her room.

He's got a bad gash on his
head. Get the boys to look for her.

- She didn't disappear into thin air.
- Right.

So when I came to, I was tied.

It took me the whole rest of
the night just to get myself free.

Oh, boy. Wetzell.

Double-crossed me.

You know that right now I would've
had Jamey Boy and $5,000?

Oh, let's all cry about your
losing the reward money.

Never mind what
happened to Holly.

Oh, listen, she got away
from her husband once,

she can do it again.

Well, it's gonna be a little
tougher for her this time.

What do you mean?

She's gonna have a baby.

Yeah.

Yeah, Holly finally opened
up last night at supper.

She was hardly more than
a child when she ran off

and married Jamey Boy.

By the time she found out what
kind of a fella he was, it was too late.

Her one thought was to hide
out until the baby was born

so she could give
it away for adoption.

Well, at least she has sense
enough not to wanna keep it.

Oh, no, no.

She wants that child more
than anything in the world,

but she's willing to give it up just so
that Jamey Boy can't ever get near it.

I see.

Let me ask you something, Dev.

Would it have made the
slightest bit of difference to you

if you had known about the baby?

Look, I'm a bounty hunter.

Bounty hunters can't
afford to be sentimental.

That's what I thought.

You sure make it hard for a body to
believe that you're your father's son.

Why?

Your father was a warmhearted
man, a God-fearing man.

Yeah.

Preacher Farnum.

Devery Farnum, Sr.

He was kind. He was generous.

He devoted his whole
life to helping other people.

What did he get for it?

Well, now, I don't know.

You never told me.
What did he get for it?

Sunday morning, April 12th.

Three years ago.

My father's holding
a little church service

out in a clearing.

A frontier town,
didn't have a church.

You've heard my father
preach, Mr. Cartwright.

It was a privilege.

Then you know
how eloquent he was,

and how sincere, how moving.

He really believed.

Does that surprise you?

No, it didn't then.

Not that morning.

I believed. Particularly
that morning, I believed.

My father was so inspired.

Just then we
dropped to our knees.

Just then when...

heh, the hosannas
were the loudest,

just when we were all
really feeling the Holy Spirit...

just then the Indians attacked.

I got a tomahawk in
the back of my neck,

I was paralyzed.
And my father, uh...

Well, the Indians
thought I was dead,

but I was very much alive.

I saw my father...

Preacher Farnum killed.

Preacher Farnum's wife killed.

Preacher Farnum's
two daughters killed

and Preacher Farnum's
other son killed.

I'm sorry.

No, don't be.

Because I don't
want it from anybody.

You mustn't blame
the whole world for that.

No, no, not the world.

God.

Dev. Dev.

Why not?

You'd still worship a god

who would allow that
kind of thing to happen?

I don't think that's for me or
you or any mortal man to judge.

God moves in mysterious
ways. His wonders to perform.

That's what you're saying to me.

Yes. Yes, that's
exactly what I'm saying.

The only wonders I've
ever seen are the devil's.

Now, if you'll excuse
me, I'd like to get dressed.

I got a lot of things to do.

Dev.

If you find it so easy
to believe in the devil...

how come it's so hard
for you to believe in God?

You following me, Cartwright?

You soul savers, sure
don't give up easy, do you?

I want you to get one
thing straight, Farnum.

I'm not here to
sing you any hymns.

- I've even given up trying to like you.
- Well, then?

You're looking for Jamey Boy
Briggs and I'm trying to help Holly.

I don't see any reason
why we can't work together.

Boy, I do.

What's your reason?

I like to travel
alone, Cartwright.

Please, I don't
want any trouble.

Why did you cross me, Wetzell?

I couldn't help myself.

I made a slip.

And right away
Jamey Boy figured out

that I was setting him
up for somebody else.

He made me tell him everything.

All I wanna do
is get out of here.

Not just yet!

Now where is Jamey Boy, Wetzell?

I don't know. I
swear, I don't know.

You better give it to
me straight, Wetzell.

Hold it.

Oh, boy, Cartwright.

For the last time, will you
just mind your own business?

And for the last time, what
concerns Holly is my business.

Well, why don't you
find your own trail?

Oh, I like yours better.

So you might as well get
used to having me around.

All right, where is she?

He took her north to Reidville.

- I want the truth.
- You got it. Reidville.

All right. Then I'll just
take you along with me.

That way you'll be
there, handy to deal with,

in case I don't come
up with Jamey Boy.

Okay.

The last time I saw them was in
an old abandoned miner's cabin

about 20 miles south of here.

On the old Canyon Trail.

Thanks a lot for your
valuable assistance.

- Jamey Boy's wife, is she all right?
- Yeah, she's kind of weak and tired.

Even Jamey Boy knows that,
that's why they ain't traveling.

They're resting instead of
heading right for the border.

How come they let you go?

I'm supposed to be
bringing them food supplies.

All I wanna do
is get out of here.

You're coming with me.

With us.

What about the bounty?

Oh, it's all yours, Dev.

I don't want any part of it.

Me neither. You can forget
about the thousand dollars

as long as I don't
have to go with you.

I've already
forgotten about that.

You're coming along.

What, are you that
afraid of Jamey Boy?

You know what a life
means to Jamey Boy?

A fly to be swatted.

Something that crawls out
of a rock to be stomped on.

The image of his Pa,
that's what he'll be.

And we'll be pals,
me and the kid.

I'll teach him
everything I know.

How to change the
brand on a rustled steer?

How to carve notches on a gun?

We'll understand each
other, me and the kid.

I won't even have
to tell him what to do.

He'll just know
somehow and do it.

Suppose he's not like you.

Suppose he has
a mind of his own.

Then I'll just have to
learn him better is all.

I wonder what's keeping
Wetzell. I'm hungry.

Get back on your horse, Wetzell.

Give me a couple more
minutes, will you, mister?

Get back on your horse, Wetzell.

Give him a minute. He's
not used to this pace.

Thanks, mister.

Noble Cartwright heart
bleeds for scum like that?

Oh, I see. Scum because
he double-crossed you?

- Pretty good reason.
- Worse than what you did to Holly?

Using her as bait to
catch her own husband?

You're kind of playing
with fire, ain't you, mister?

Prodding him like that?

He just could get real riled.

I hope so.

Even anger would be a
step in the right direction

for a man who's given
up feeling anymore.

What's the matter, boy?

You feel another horse
out there somewhere?

So do I.

See? I told you he was here.

What about me now?

What about you?

Well, can I leave now?

- Please. I'm no good...
- Shh.

I'm no good in a fight.

Just thinking about flying
lead makes me all sick inside.

Let me go. Please, let me go.

All right, you can go.

You just be real
quiet about it, Wetzell.

Sure, sure. Anything you say.

How come?

Oh, he's just gonna
get in the way.

I had a funny feeling
you felt sorry for him.

Did you?

Jamey Boy has picked
himself a pretty good spot here.

Yeah, it's not gonna
be easy. Ain't no cover.

Well, you got any suggestions?

Well, I could come
in from the front.

Zigzag from rock to rock, try
to keep his attention on me.

That way you might be able to sneak
in from the side without being seen.

Hmm.

You'd be taking a pretty big
chance. That boy's good with that gun.

- You got any other ideas?
- Yep.

I'll do the zigzagging.

Why you?

Well, I'm gonna be
taking that whole reward,

so it just figures I'd better
be taking the big risk.

- Still not accepting any favors, right?
- Nope.

Listen, ahem, if something
should happen to me,

I want you to give
Holly that reward.

She'll be needing that
to raise her baby right.

Well, well, if it ain't
the bounty hunter.

I might have known.

Well, that takes care
of the bounty hunter.

Let's go, Holly.

No.

- Ah!
- Now, simmer down.

Now, what do you
got against me, Holly?

You know you're my
lawful wedded wife.

Now let's go.

Okay, let's just
hold it right there.

So you were playing
possum, huh, bounty hunter?

Let's just get the
girl out of here.

No.

You're not about to shoot
a woman, are you, huh?

Get the girl out of here.

Now you're making
it easy, bounty hunter.

Jamey!

Is it bad?

No, no, it's just my arm.

Yeah, we'll get
it taken care of.

There's no hammer on your gun.
- No?

Did you know about that
when you stood up against him?

- Well, then what did you do it for?
- For the bounty.

Dev, you're a liar.

All right.

I knew I had a friend
out there somewhere.

Thanks.

Besides...

I guess I am my father's son.

You better hurry up, Dev. The
stage will be pulling right out.

Well, thank you, Mr. Cartwright.

- Dev, you... Let's hear from you now.
- Yes, sir.

- Good luck, Dev.
- Little Joe.

Holly, you seemed a little
anxious to get Dev on that stage.

Well, the way I figure it, the quicker
he gets through divinity school,

the quicker he'll be
back in Virginia City.

I wouldn't count on that, Holly.

After all, Dev hasn't said a
word about returning here.

Oh, you don't know
everything, Little Joe.

Dev and I have a
secret understanding.

Did you hear that?

She's still at it. She's
still telling those stories.

I'm not a gambling man, Joe,

but I'd be willing to place a
little bet that that was no story.

- No bet.
- Good for you

Hey. Hoss.

Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

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