Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 7, Episode 1 - The Debt - full transcript
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Sir?
Yeah?
Could I talk to
you for a second?
Sure, neighbor.
Now, what can I do for you?
Can I get some
directions, please, sir?
Sure enough. Where you heading?
A place called the Ponderosa.
Could you tell me
where that is, please?
You don't need
any more directions.
- You're on it right now.
- We are?
Howdy, ma'am.
Well, could you tell
me where I can find a...
Mr. Ben Cartwright?
Sure. That's my pa.
Well, I'd like to talk to him.
I've got some business with him.
Well, is it anything
I can help you with?
I don't think so.
Could you just direct
me to the house?
Righto. I'll get my horse.
Wait. I'd-I'd better
get it for you.
Hey, well, I can
get my own horse.
No, no, better let me.
By the way, my
name's Wiley Cane.
- Wiley.
- That's my sister Annie.
Hi, Annie. How are
you? Nice to meet you.
It's a... it-it's a pleasure,
I'm sure, Mr. Cartwright.
It's really beautiful, isn't it?
I'd forgotten how pretty
it is, Mr. Cartwright.
Oh, you've been here before?
Once... a long time ago when...
when I was just a little girl.
I'm glad we're back, though.
Wiley says we might
be here for a long time.
Oh, you mean here,
right on the Ponderosa?
He says we might be
here for a whole year.
Annie?
That's enough. I told you
if there was any explaining
to do, I'd be the one to do it.
- Here you are, Mr. Cartwright.
- Thank you.
I'm sorry, Wiley.
I was just telling
him how it used to be.
Hi, Pa.
- Hello, Joe.
- Come on in.
Pa, I'd like you to meet Annie
Cane and her brother Wiley.
- That's my father.
- Hello.
- How do... how do you do, Mr. Cartwright?
- Fine.
Hoss, say hi to Wiley
and Annie Cane.
Hi, Wiley. How are you?
I met Wiley out on the
road. He said he wanted
to come over here and
talk to you about something.
Oh, well, uh, sit down, please.
Uh, how about a cup of coffee?
No. No, thank
you, Mr. Cartwright.
Well, what do you
want to talk about?
Doesn't the name Cane
mean something to you?
Cane.
No, I don't think so.
Sam Cane... was our father.
Sam Cane.
Well... I forgot all about that.
Sam Cane was a, um... A thief.
You can say it,
Mr. Cartwright. It's all right.
He robbed you.
Well, there was a land
deal, but that was...
that was a long time ago.
That doesn't change things.
And Annie and me are
here to... pay it back.
Now, look, I'm-I'm
strong. I can do almost
anything around
a farm or a ranch.
And what I don't know, I
can pick up pretty quick.
Annie can... cook,
she can launder, she can
iron, and-and-and she can...
Hold on now. Wait a minute.
Are you suggesting that...
you want to work this debt off?
Yes, sir. Yes, I am.
Well... well, that would take...
A year. That's what I figured.
Look, Wiley, you
know, you ain't, uh...
you ain't responsible
for nothing your dad did.
Let me explain this
to you, Mr. Cartwright.
The name Cane was
a respected name,
and I intend to see
that it's that way again.
Hmm.
You know, Wiley,
I find what you're trying
to do most commendable.
But aren't you
wasting your lives away
trying to erase your
father's reputation?
Mr. Cartwright, there are towns
where decent women don't even
speak to my sister because
she's Sam Cane's daughter.
There are towns where men
have beat me half to death
because I'm his son,
and have spit in my face.
Now, Sam Cane stole
something from Annie and me, too.
Something we
just got to win back.
We're gonna win it back.
People's respect.
You know, this is such a
big country, though, Wiley.
So many places
where the name Sam
Cane doesn't mean anything.
Where you could go out
and... earn your own reputation.
You mean, run away, hmm?
No. I mean, start fresh.
Mr. Cartwright, my father
ran from things all his life.
He never stopped running.
Now, I'm not gonna
follow in his footsteps.
Well...
Is your father... still living?
No, he's... My father's dead.
Well, now, we don't
know that for sure.
I mean, we don't have any
actual proof, Mr. Cartwright.
Oh, he's dead, all right.
If he was alive... I wou... I
would have heard about it.
You can bet on that.
Just how long do
you intend to continue
working off your father's debts?
Oh, this is the last one.
When we finish here...
wipe the slate clean.
Now, do we get the
job, Mr. Cartwright?
Yes. Yes, I'll give you a job.
Until we can find some
better way of working this out.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.
Well, if that's
settled, I'll, uh,
help you bring in your things.
Would you, uh...
like to see your room?
Come in.
Hi. I brought you
some extra blankets.
Gets pretty cold here at night.
Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.
You can just put
'em over on the bed.
I'll put 'em over on the
bed if you call me Joe.
Well, Wiley says that we...
Look, if you go around here
calling everybody
Mr. Cartwright,
nobody's gonna know
who you're talking to.
- All right, Joe.
- Yeah.
See, that wasn't
so hard, was it?
Oh, is everything all right?
Oh, I love it.
This is the first real room
I've had in a long time.
How long have you and Wiley
been traveling around like this?
Oh... I guess about three years.
Whew.
Boy, that is a long time.
That's why I like
this room so much.
Everything's so solid.
So permanent.
I-I guess I mean it's a home.
Did you read all those books?
Hmm?
No. No, not all of them.
Most of 'em, I guess.
There are so many.
Well, we have a
snowstorm around here,
you either learn to like to read
or you start talking
to the furniture.
Let's, uh... let's see. Here.
This one. This is... this
is one of my big favorites.
It's about whaling.
I guess it's as close as
I'll ever get to a whale
and that's why
I like it so much.
Hey, you're welcome
to read it, if you'd like.
Of course, I guess it's not
much of a book for a girl,
but you... you
can if you want to.
I, uh... never
did-did learn how.
Well, we've been
doing a lot of traveling.
Well, just never
got around to it.
I know how to spell
my name, though.
How come Wiley didn't
take time to teach you?
Well, Wiley just doesn't
think of things like that.
Oh.
I guess he's too busy
thinking about your father, huh?
Look, I got an idea.
You're going to be here
with us for a little while...
Why don't I teach you?
Well, I...
I don't think Wiley
would want...
Well, I didn't ask you
what Wiley wanted.
Look, it'd only take
about an hour a day.
It certainly isn't gonna
bring the world to an end,
just an hour a day, is it?
Now, do you want to learn?
Yes, I would.
All right. We'll start tomorrow,
right after lunch, one hour.
Oh, that'll be fine.
Good.
Joe?
Thank you, Joe.
Ah.
Get a good night's sleep.
"A."
"N."
"N."
"E."
- Ah.
- Annie.
Well, that's very, very good.
But, uh... 'course, that-that
doesn't spell "Annie."
That doesn't say "Annie"?
No, no. That...
see, that... that says "Anne."
See, this "E" is silent.
You just pretend
it's not even there.
It's silent.
Why?
Well, I don't know why.
It's just the way it is.
See, look, if-if you want
to make this "Annie,"
if you want to
make this "Annie,"
then we have to put right here,
between there, an "I."
See?
A-N-N-I-E.
See, now, the "I" is silent.
Now that's... that's "Annie."
Are you teasing me?
No, I'm not teasing you.
No, that-that's the way it is.
Here, look.
Here's how you spell my name.
J-O-E.
Joe.
Joey.
No, no. No, not Joey.
Joe.
- The "E" is silent.
- The "E" is silent.
Right. See? The
way we had it here?
Got it there.
Um... spell "bow,"
like I'd wear in my hair.
"Bow."
I-I think we ought
to wait on "bow."
I think it's gonna confuse you.
Well, now, isn't that
spelled the same way
as you spell your name,
only with a
different first letter?
Mm-mm.
I'll-I'll go ahead and
show you anyway.
B-O-W.
Now, that's "bow."
Hmm.
- Well, that's "Joe."
- Mm-hmm.
- And that's "bow."
- Right.
Doesn't make sense.
Well, I know it
doesn't make sense,
but, uh, I guarantee you
it's gonna get harder
before it gets easier.
See, 'cause, look...
See this "bow"?
That also spells "bow."
You know, like when a
man bows to a woman.
Same thing.
- You are teasing me.
- No, I'm not. I'm not.
It's-It's funny, but
that's the way it is.
- That spells "bow."
- Mm-hmm.
And "bow."
Like a... bough of a tree.
Mm-mm.
Haven't you ever
heard of a bow...
of... of a bough of a tree?
Well, certainly I've
heard of a bough of a tree.
Of course I've heard of a
bough of a tree, but that...
See, a bough of a tree... Oh.
Look, here, see.
B-O-U-G-H.
What's that?
That is the bough.
That's the bough when you're...
Say, a bough of a tree.
I thought you said it was "bow."
Look, they're both...
Well, they're not
both, but one is both.
See? B-O-W is both.
That's "bow" and "bow."
But B-O-U-G-H is only "bough."
It can't be "bow," too.
Do you... Joe Cartwright,
I think you're terrible.
Making fun of someone
that doesn't even know
how to read or write.
Well, now, wait a
minute, look, look. I...
I know it doesn't make sense,
and sometimes it's not going to.
But that's just the way it is.
You weren't teasing me?
Aw, you know better than
that. I wouldn't tease you.
Annie.
I was just passing the kitchen
and I thought I smelled
something burning.
Oh, the pies.
Joe... tomorrow?
Sure thing.
And the "E" is silent in "pies."
What about tomorrow?
- Hmm?
- What about tomorrow?
Oh, I'm just helping
Annie with her reading.
Well, no more, hmm?
No more what?
No more reading.
Well, why not?
Just because I said
no more reading.
Why don't we let
Annie decide that, huh?
Pa, all I was doing was trying
to teach Annie to learn to read.
And for absolutely
no reason he says no.
No more lessons.
Leave her alone.
All I was trying to
do was help her.
You know, Joe, this,
uh, Wiley has been
more than just a
brother to this girl.
Been father and
mother to her, too.
Oh, yeah, but I don't
think she needs all that!
I think he ought to let
her live her own life!
No, but she's part
of this whole thing,
this strange journey of his
in which he's trying to pay
for all the sins his
father's committed.
But why does Wiley
force her to go with him?
She doesn't want it, Pa.
Yeah, but he wants her.
He needs her.
Well, what am I
supposed to do, then?
Just...
just forget about
trying to help her, huh?
Well, maybe you could, uh,
try to help him, too.
He needs it.
You could try.
Yeah, I guess I could try.
Then maybe you could try
taking your foot off the table.
Hmm?
Oh.
Yes, sir.
It's not as if I haven't
told you before, Annie.
I know, I know.
Then remember it.
We can't take
anything from anybody.
But he offered.
Annie, our name is Cane.
And to a lot of people that's
just another word for "dirt."
Annie, we've got to be better.
Don't you understand that?
We've got to be
better than anybody.
But sometimes that's hard.
Yeah, I know.
It's always hard, Annie.
Good evening.
Evening.
- Hi.
- Hello.
Just wanted to make
sure we're all set
for our reading lesson tomorrow.
Uh...
no, I-I don't think
I'll be able to make it.
I'm sorry.
Oh.
You don't think so or
Wiley doesn't think so?
You said you'd leave it
up to Annie, Mr. Cartwright.
You've got her answer.
I've got what you
told her to say, Wiley.
No, I really don't want to, Joe!
Now, I don't
believe that, Annie.
- Now, look, Mr. Cartwright...
- Now, you look, Wiley!
Now, there's no reason
for you to deny your sister
the right to learn how to read.
What do you know about reason?
You're a Cartwright, that
means you're always accepted.
You try crawling inside
my skin for a while,
and then you talk
to me about reason.
Annie and me have had to
fight for everything we've got.
Oh, come on, Wiley,
you don't have to.
It's what you choose.
And the only one that
gets hurt is your sister.
Look, all I want to do is
help her to learn to read.
- Now, what's so...?
- Why?
What, do I need a
reason to help her?
- Yes!
- I like her.
I like her, or is that too
difficult for you to understand?
Oh, I can understand that.
It's clear enough.
You just stay away from
my sister, Mr. Cartwright.
You hear me? You
stay away from my sister.
Yeah, Pa wanted
me to give you this list
of some extra
supplies to get in town.
Do you mind if I
ride along with you?
We don't have
much choice, do we?
Wiley!
You going into town, Joe?
Yeah, well, I'd like to if
you don't mind the company.
Well, I don't.
Well, if you two sit
there gabbing all day,
we'll never get going.
Here we are. You
can get down now.
- Thanks.
- I'll take the reins.
Hello, Roy.
Everything go all right?
Just fine, no problem.
Take him in and lock him up
and take the
cuffs off, will you?
Hi, Bill.
I'll take the horses
over to the stable.
- Howdy, Little Joe!
- How you doing, Roy?
What's bringing
you to town today?
Ah, just picking
up some supplies.
I'd like you to meet
some friends of mine.
Annie and her brother
Wiley, this is Sheriff Coffee.
Glad to make your acquaintance.
They're gonna be working for
us down at the ranch for a while.
- Good.
- So, what's new in town?
Oh, nothing much.
I did just bring in
a prisoner, though,
that I believe your
pa might remember.
His name is Sam Cane.
He's being sent back
to Utah to stand trial.
Annie, you know
we're in no hurry
to get back to the ranch.
What do you mean?
I just thought you might
want to see your father.
Yes, I do.
Well, let's go.
No, I...
I don't think Wiley would
want me to see him.
Well, I guess that's
about all. Let's go.
Wait a minute, Wiley.
Thought we might wait
and let Annie go over to
the jail and see your father.
That's all right with
you, isn't it, Wiley?
She really wants to see him.
Is he right, Annie?
Do you want to see him?
Yes.
All right, shoot, go ahead.
Wait, hold up a second.
I don't want to see him.
I just want to make
sure that Annie's all right.
Well, Joe, did you bring
your young friends over
to show them my jail?
No, Roy, Annie here
would like to see Sam Cane.
What for?
He's their father.
Well, let me have your gun then.
You don't have to
worry about that.
I'm not going in to see him.
All right.
You take your time.
I'll be outside.
Right in here.
Papa?
Papa?
What... what did you call me?
Papa.
Annie?
Annie.
Oh, Papa!
Papa!
Oh, can't believe
you're here now.
And n-none of that.
You'll have me
doing it before long.
We can't have that now.
Can we?
Oh, Annie.
Well, what are you doing here?
And Wiley.
I-Is Wiley here with you?
He's outside.
Well, what's he doing out there?
Why doesn't he come on in?
Hey, Wiley?
No, no! No, Papa.
I-I got something to tell you.
- Sheriff?
- Yeah?
What's Cane
wanted for this time?
Armed robbery.
Is there any chance he
can worm his way out of it?
Well, not very much.
From what I understand,
there's plenty of eyewitnesses.
And it's mighty hard
to beat a case like that.
Good.
When are they
coming to pick him up?
Tomorrow. Next day maybe.
Mm-hmm.
Oh.
I can't say as I really
blame him, Annie.
Well, the boy's
doing the right thing.
From the standpoint
of the way he looks at it.
Still, it... it's a
shame that...
our family had to come to this.
He's paying for crimes
he never committed.
And so am I.
What do you mean, Papa?
Oh.
I'm not going to
lie to you, darling.
I made my share of mistakes.
But-but all those things
I was charged with,
well, I had the
reputation, Annie.
If they didn't know
who'd done something,
they'd say, "Why, it must've
been Sam Cane," and...
I'd be on the run again.
Innocent in the eyes of God
but not in the eyes of men.
You're innocent?
As innocent as you or Wiley.
Well... not that
it's going to...
make any difference now.
Papa, there must be
something we can do.
No, no. It's too late now.
What you've told me,
Wiley hates me about
as deep as it can go.
No, I could never get
through to him now.
But you...
Little Annie.
Oh, you've suffered the most.
You're the one that
saddens me, Annie.
I-If only we could make us
a new life together.
Hmm?
Go away somewhere and get
us a good stretch of blackland
and farm it.
Where folks would
take us for what we were,
not for what others
said we were.
Oh, we could have
us a glorious life.
Couldn't we, Annie?
Yes, Papa.
Papa, if... if only
there was a way.
There is.
There is, Annie.
You believe I'm
innocent, don't you?
Yes.
Then help me to escape.
Bring me a gun, Annie.
It's our only chance, Annie.
I'm not just asking for me.
It's for both of us.
In another day,
it'll be too late.
I'll be in state's prison
and you'll be back in
that bitter life with Wiley.
But you can change that.
You can give us a chance
for a new life together.
Will you give us
that chance, Annie?
Will you?
Annie, time's up.
That's all right, Roy.
We understand.
Well, can she come
back and visit me again?
I suppose.
You will be back...
won't you, Annie?
Yes, Papa.
I'll be back.
Well... hello, Wiley.
Annie told me what you're doing.
It's a good thing.
I'm proud of you.
You're proud of me?
Yeah.
Son.
Then I must be
doing the wrong thing.
Come on, Annie.
Wiley?
What are you doing?
Oh, nothing. I was
just... sitting here.
You were reading.
No.
Don't be silly.
What are you reading?
Well, it's... a
book... on words.
It teaches you
how to read words.
It's called a grammar.
I thought I should
learn it, so I...
so I could, uh...
Teach me how to read?
Yeah.
It isn't right that you don't
know how to read, Annie.
I should've thought about it.
It's my mistake, I-I'm sorry.
That's all right, Wiley.
Here are your clean things.
Oh, thank you.
Wiley?
Mm-hmm?
You... you said
you made a mistake.
Ever think that...
maybe we made another mistake?
I mean, you and me.
About what?
Our father?
Don't ever call him that.
I'm not ashamed of him, Wiley.
I want to help him, Wiley.
♪♪
Joe, uh...
I... I-I want to thank you
for bringing me to
town this time of night.
Oh.
Oh, it's my pleasure, ma'am.
I'm always ready and willing
to take pretty girls for
rides in the moonlight.
A-And I want you to know that...
I-I'll always be
grateful to you,
for what you've
tried to do for me.
Even over Wiley's objections?
Wiley may not be the
best brother in the world,
but he's mine.
I guess that
excuses an awful lot.
Yeah, I guess it does.
You want me to go
in there with you?
No.
I'd rather go in alone.
I understand.
I'll pick you up
here in half an hour.
Good evening, Annie.
Evening.
Your pa just
finished his supper.
Go right ahead in.
Thank you.
Annie... did you bring it?
You wait for me outside, Annie.
Sheriff?
Sheriff!
Joe... where's Annie?
What do you want with her?
I said, where's Annie?
What have you done with her?
I took her down to the
jail to see your father.
I told her she
couldn't see him again.
Well, I think she's old enough
to decide that for herself.
Annie's my sister.
I've looked after her
since we were little kids.
Until she met you,
she used to listen to me.
Now, I've told you once
to stay away from her.
You take my advice; don't
make me tell you again.
I don't need your advice.
♪♪
Wiley!
♪♪
♪♪
See anything?
How long you been trailing me?
Ever since yesterday.
Why?
Because of Annie.
My sister's no concern of yours.
Yeah, well, I think she is.
What's happened is as
much my fault as anybody's.
No.
It's Sam Cane.
He could talk the
birds out of the trees.
He knows just where to hit you,
the exact spot.
It's an instinct he has,
like a rattlesnake.
And he poisons
everything he touches...
including Annie.
She loves him and he knows it
and he uses that love.
He used it to get out of jail
and he'll keep right on using it
as long as he needs it.
And then he'll run away
again, just like always.
Well, he's not gonna get
to run very far this time.
No, he's gone as
far as he's gonna go.
All his life he's been doing
things to Annie and me,
and we've had to pay for it.
This time is gonna be different.
This time he's gonna pay for it.
'Cause I'm gonna kill him.
Oh, come on, Wiley, talk sense.
Do you really think
you can live your life
after you've killed your father?
I know I can.
It'll be like
breathing fresh air
for the first time in my life.
People will say, "There
goes Wiley Cane.
"Remember his old man?
Boy made up for that."
That's what people will say.
No, I don't think so.
I think they'll say,
"There goes Wiley Cane,
"the boy who murdered his father
and ruined his sister's life."
That's why, when
we find your father,
we're gonna bring him
back to Virginia City.
Alive.
♪♪
All right.
Now we're gonna
find your father.
We're gonna find him together.
♪♪
Papa?
Papa, can we rest a minute?
Oh, sure.
Sure.
Well.
My little girl must
be exhausted.
Here now.
You sit down here.
Here.
You know, we'll be
able to stop tonight.
There's an old line shack
about ten miles from here.
Well, there's food
there and a bed.
Well, you'll get a good rest.
I'm sorry, Papa.
I'm holding you back.
No, no. We're making good time.
There's a lot of distance
between us and Virginia City.
Oh, but you just wait till
you see where we're going.
Up north.
Yeah.
You never seen the
Oregon Country, have you?
Oh, you think this is something.
You just wait till
you see Oregon.
It's big country.
It's deserts,
forests, great rivers.
Kind of country a
man can get lost in.
Start all over.
Oh, Annie, Annie, I'm
gonna make it all up to you.
Annie?
You all right?
Oh, I'm fine, Papa.
Just I can hardly believe it.
Here now, you...
you just rest.
There's a stream
just over the hill.
I'll water the horse.
You just rest here.
Get your strength back.
Papa?
I love you, Papa.
I love you, Annie.
It's good to have
our little girl back.
I'll be right back, Annie.
All right, Papa.
♪♪
What's the meaning of this?
What's wrong?
What are you stopping me for?
You'd be pretty tough
to miss from here, Cane.
All right, let's have it.
Slow and easy.
All right, now let's go
back and find Annie.
I said move.
Annie!
Get off.
Annie, you all right?
Well, of course she's all right.
What do you think I am?
Annie?
Annie, I, I-I-I
was just going...
Papa... I know.
You don't have to say it.
Make him say it, Annie.
Make him say he's sorry.
He's never had to say it before.
Come on, Wiley,
put the gun down.
Put it down!
Mm-mm.
You pull that
trigger, I pull this one.
Annie, I'm gonna show you
what kind of a man
your father really is.
Because I'm gonna make him
get down on his knees
and crawl over to you
and beg forgiveness.
And then I'm gonna kill him.
Yeah, that's right, Wiley.
You go ahead, you use the gun.
Pull the trigger!
That's what he'd do.
He wouldn't think
about Annie, either.
You both hurt her
so much already.
And now you can finish the job.
Because when you kill him,
you're killing Annie, too.
Well, go on, Wiley,
what's the matter?
Does it stick in your throat?
Are you thinking
maybe it's about
time you thought
about somebody
else besides yourself?
I'm thinking about him.
He deserves to die.
He deserves to be killed
for what he's done to us.
What has he done, Wiley?
Annie, please
get out of the way.
What has he done?
What has he done?
Has he filled our
lives with bitterness
and hatred?
Has he changed every
moment into despair?
Well, answer me, Wiley! Has he?!
Yes!
Are you so sure?
Oh, Wiley, Wiley.
Look into yourself.
There's the bitterness.
And the hatred.
The despair.
But he put it there, Annie.
Everything that's inside of me,
everything that's inside
of you he put there.
You don't know
your father, Annie.
You just don't know your father.
I do.
I guess I've always known.
Same as I know what
kind of a man you are.
That hasn't stopped me
from loving either one of you.
♪♪
You know, neither
one of you deserve her.
As a daughter or a sister.
Annie?
Annie?
I was thinking that, uh,
maybe I, I'd go on
out to California.
You know?
Maybe the two of
us, you, you and me.
California?
Yeah.
Like we always dreamed about.
You and me, huh?
Wiley, it won't be
the same, will it?
No.
No, won't ever be
the same again, Annie.
I promise you.
Promise you.
Joe?
Th-This might sound foolish.
But I've got to
believe in someone.
Good luck.
♪♪
This has been a color production
of the NBC Television Network.
is brought to you in
living color on NBC.
Sir?
Yeah?
Could I talk to
you for a second?
Sure, neighbor.
Now, what can I do for you?
Can I get some
directions, please, sir?
Sure enough. Where you heading?
A place called the Ponderosa.
Could you tell me
where that is, please?
You don't need
any more directions.
- You're on it right now.
- We are?
Howdy, ma'am.
Well, could you tell
me where I can find a...
Mr. Ben Cartwright?
Sure. That's my pa.
Well, I'd like to talk to him.
I've got some business with him.
Well, is it anything
I can help you with?
I don't think so.
Could you just direct
me to the house?
Righto. I'll get my horse.
Wait. I'd-I'd better
get it for you.
Hey, well, I can
get my own horse.
No, no, better let me.
By the way, my
name's Wiley Cane.
- Wiley.
- That's my sister Annie.
Hi, Annie. How are
you? Nice to meet you.
It's a... it-it's a pleasure,
I'm sure, Mr. Cartwright.
It's really beautiful, isn't it?
I'd forgotten how pretty
it is, Mr. Cartwright.
Oh, you've been here before?
Once... a long time ago when...
when I was just a little girl.
I'm glad we're back, though.
Wiley says we might
be here for a long time.
Oh, you mean here,
right on the Ponderosa?
He says we might be
here for a whole year.
Annie?
That's enough. I told you
if there was any explaining
to do, I'd be the one to do it.
- Here you are, Mr. Cartwright.
- Thank you.
I'm sorry, Wiley.
I was just telling
him how it used to be.
Hi, Pa.
- Hello, Joe.
- Come on in.
Pa, I'd like you to meet Annie
Cane and her brother Wiley.
- That's my father.
- Hello.
- How do... how do you do, Mr. Cartwright?
- Fine.
Hoss, say hi to Wiley
and Annie Cane.
Hi, Wiley. How are you?
I met Wiley out on the
road. He said he wanted
to come over here and
talk to you about something.
Oh, well, uh, sit down, please.
Uh, how about a cup of coffee?
No. No, thank
you, Mr. Cartwright.
Well, what do you
want to talk about?
Doesn't the name Cane
mean something to you?
Cane.
No, I don't think so.
Sam Cane... was our father.
Sam Cane.
Well... I forgot all about that.
Sam Cane was a, um... A thief.
You can say it,
Mr. Cartwright. It's all right.
He robbed you.
Well, there was a land
deal, but that was...
that was a long time ago.
That doesn't change things.
And Annie and me are
here to... pay it back.
Now, look, I'm-I'm
strong. I can do almost
anything around
a farm or a ranch.
And what I don't know, I
can pick up pretty quick.
Annie can... cook,
she can launder, she can
iron, and-and-and she can...
Hold on now. Wait a minute.
Are you suggesting that...
you want to work this debt off?
Yes, sir. Yes, I am.
Well... well, that would take...
A year. That's what I figured.
Look, Wiley, you
know, you ain't, uh...
you ain't responsible
for nothing your dad did.
Let me explain this
to you, Mr. Cartwright.
The name Cane was
a respected name,
and I intend to see
that it's that way again.
Hmm.
You know, Wiley,
I find what you're trying
to do most commendable.
But aren't you
wasting your lives away
trying to erase your
father's reputation?
Mr. Cartwright, there are towns
where decent women don't even
speak to my sister because
she's Sam Cane's daughter.
There are towns where men
have beat me half to death
because I'm his son,
and have spit in my face.
Now, Sam Cane stole
something from Annie and me, too.
Something we
just got to win back.
We're gonna win it back.
People's respect.
You know, this is such a
big country, though, Wiley.
So many places
where the name Sam
Cane doesn't mean anything.
Where you could go out
and... earn your own reputation.
You mean, run away, hmm?
No. I mean, start fresh.
Mr. Cartwright, my father
ran from things all his life.
He never stopped running.
Now, I'm not gonna
follow in his footsteps.
Well...
Is your father... still living?
No, he's... My father's dead.
Well, now, we don't
know that for sure.
I mean, we don't have any
actual proof, Mr. Cartwright.
Oh, he's dead, all right.
If he was alive... I wou... I
would have heard about it.
You can bet on that.
Just how long do
you intend to continue
working off your father's debts?
Oh, this is the last one.
When we finish here...
wipe the slate clean.
Now, do we get the
job, Mr. Cartwright?
Yes. Yes, I'll give you a job.
Until we can find some
better way of working this out.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.
Well, if that's
settled, I'll, uh,
help you bring in your things.
Would you, uh...
like to see your room?
Come in.
Hi. I brought you
some extra blankets.
Gets pretty cold here at night.
Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.
You can just put
'em over on the bed.
I'll put 'em over on the
bed if you call me Joe.
Well, Wiley says that we...
Look, if you go around here
calling everybody
Mr. Cartwright,
nobody's gonna know
who you're talking to.
- All right, Joe.
- Yeah.
See, that wasn't
so hard, was it?
Oh, is everything all right?
Oh, I love it.
This is the first real room
I've had in a long time.
How long have you and Wiley
been traveling around like this?
Oh... I guess about three years.
Whew.
Boy, that is a long time.
That's why I like
this room so much.
Everything's so solid.
So permanent.
I-I guess I mean it's a home.
Did you read all those books?
Hmm?
No. No, not all of them.
Most of 'em, I guess.
There are so many.
Well, we have a
snowstorm around here,
you either learn to like to read
or you start talking
to the furniture.
Let's, uh... let's see. Here.
This one. This is... this
is one of my big favorites.
It's about whaling.
I guess it's as close as
I'll ever get to a whale
and that's why
I like it so much.
Hey, you're welcome
to read it, if you'd like.
Of course, I guess it's not
much of a book for a girl,
but you... you
can if you want to.
I, uh... never
did-did learn how.
Well, we've been
doing a lot of traveling.
Well, just never
got around to it.
I know how to spell
my name, though.
How come Wiley didn't
take time to teach you?
Well, Wiley just doesn't
think of things like that.
Oh.
I guess he's too busy
thinking about your father, huh?
Look, I got an idea.
You're going to be here
with us for a little while...
Why don't I teach you?
Well, I...
I don't think Wiley
would want...
Well, I didn't ask you
what Wiley wanted.
Look, it'd only take
about an hour a day.
It certainly isn't gonna
bring the world to an end,
just an hour a day, is it?
Now, do you want to learn?
Yes, I would.
All right. We'll start tomorrow,
right after lunch, one hour.
Oh, that'll be fine.
Good.
Joe?
Thank you, Joe.
Ah.
Get a good night's sleep.
"A."
"N."
"N."
"E."
- Ah.
- Annie.
Well, that's very, very good.
But, uh... 'course, that-that
doesn't spell "Annie."
That doesn't say "Annie"?
No, no. That...
see, that... that says "Anne."
See, this "E" is silent.
You just pretend
it's not even there.
It's silent.
Why?
Well, I don't know why.
It's just the way it is.
See, look, if-if you want
to make this "Annie,"
if you want to
make this "Annie,"
then we have to put right here,
between there, an "I."
See?
A-N-N-I-E.
See, now, the "I" is silent.
Now that's... that's "Annie."
Are you teasing me?
No, I'm not teasing you.
No, that-that's the way it is.
Here, look.
Here's how you spell my name.
J-O-E.
Joe.
Joey.
No, no. No, not Joey.
Joe.
- The "E" is silent.
- The "E" is silent.
Right. See? The
way we had it here?
Got it there.
Um... spell "bow,"
like I'd wear in my hair.
"Bow."
I-I think we ought
to wait on "bow."
I think it's gonna confuse you.
Well, now, isn't that
spelled the same way
as you spell your name,
only with a
different first letter?
Mm-mm.
I'll-I'll go ahead and
show you anyway.
B-O-W.
Now, that's "bow."
Hmm.
- Well, that's "Joe."
- Mm-hmm.
- And that's "bow."
- Right.
Doesn't make sense.
Well, I know it
doesn't make sense,
but, uh, I guarantee you
it's gonna get harder
before it gets easier.
See, 'cause, look...
See this "bow"?
That also spells "bow."
You know, like when a
man bows to a woman.
Same thing.
- You are teasing me.
- No, I'm not. I'm not.
It's-It's funny, but
that's the way it is.
- That spells "bow."
- Mm-hmm.
And "bow."
Like a... bough of a tree.
Mm-mm.
Haven't you ever
heard of a bow...
of... of a bough of a tree?
Well, certainly I've
heard of a bough of a tree.
Of course I've heard of a
bough of a tree, but that...
See, a bough of a tree... Oh.
Look, here, see.
B-O-U-G-H.
What's that?
That is the bough.
That's the bough when you're...
Say, a bough of a tree.
I thought you said it was "bow."
Look, they're both...
Well, they're not
both, but one is both.
See? B-O-W is both.
That's "bow" and "bow."
But B-O-U-G-H is only "bough."
It can't be "bow," too.
Do you... Joe Cartwright,
I think you're terrible.
Making fun of someone
that doesn't even know
how to read or write.
Well, now, wait a
minute, look, look. I...
I know it doesn't make sense,
and sometimes it's not going to.
But that's just the way it is.
You weren't teasing me?
Aw, you know better than
that. I wouldn't tease you.
Annie.
I was just passing the kitchen
and I thought I smelled
something burning.
Oh, the pies.
Joe... tomorrow?
Sure thing.
And the "E" is silent in "pies."
What about tomorrow?
- Hmm?
- What about tomorrow?
Oh, I'm just helping
Annie with her reading.
Well, no more, hmm?
No more what?
No more reading.
Well, why not?
Just because I said
no more reading.
Why don't we let
Annie decide that, huh?
Pa, all I was doing was trying
to teach Annie to learn to read.
And for absolutely
no reason he says no.
No more lessons.
Leave her alone.
All I was trying to
do was help her.
You know, Joe, this,
uh, Wiley has been
more than just a
brother to this girl.
Been father and
mother to her, too.
Oh, yeah, but I don't
think she needs all that!
I think he ought to let
her live her own life!
No, but she's part
of this whole thing,
this strange journey of his
in which he's trying to pay
for all the sins his
father's committed.
But why does Wiley
force her to go with him?
She doesn't want it, Pa.
Yeah, but he wants her.
He needs her.
Well, what am I
supposed to do, then?
Just...
just forget about
trying to help her, huh?
Well, maybe you could, uh,
try to help him, too.
He needs it.
You could try.
Yeah, I guess I could try.
Then maybe you could try
taking your foot off the table.
Hmm?
Oh.
Yes, sir.
It's not as if I haven't
told you before, Annie.
I know, I know.
Then remember it.
We can't take
anything from anybody.
But he offered.
Annie, our name is Cane.
And to a lot of people that's
just another word for "dirt."
Annie, we've got to be better.
Don't you understand that?
We've got to be
better than anybody.
But sometimes that's hard.
Yeah, I know.
It's always hard, Annie.
Good evening.
Evening.
- Hi.
- Hello.
Just wanted to make
sure we're all set
for our reading lesson tomorrow.
Uh...
no, I-I don't think
I'll be able to make it.
I'm sorry.
Oh.
You don't think so or
Wiley doesn't think so?
You said you'd leave it
up to Annie, Mr. Cartwright.
You've got her answer.
I've got what you
told her to say, Wiley.
No, I really don't want to, Joe!
Now, I don't
believe that, Annie.
- Now, look, Mr. Cartwright...
- Now, you look, Wiley!
Now, there's no reason
for you to deny your sister
the right to learn how to read.
What do you know about reason?
You're a Cartwright, that
means you're always accepted.
You try crawling inside
my skin for a while,
and then you talk
to me about reason.
Annie and me have had to
fight for everything we've got.
Oh, come on, Wiley,
you don't have to.
It's what you choose.
And the only one that
gets hurt is your sister.
Look, all I want to do is
help her to learn to read.
- Now, what's so...?
- Why?
What, do I need a
reason to help her?
- Yes!
- I like her.
I like her, or is that too
difficult for you to understand?
Oh, I can understand that.
It's clear enough.
You just stay away from
my sister, Mr. Cartwright.
You hear me? You
stay away from my sister.
Yeah, Pa wanted
me to give you this list
of some extra
supplies to get in town.
Do you mind if I
ride along with you?
We don't have
much choice, do we?
Wiley!
You going into town, Joe?
Yeah, well, I'd like to if
you don't mind the company.
Well, I don't.
Well, if you two sit
there gabbing all day,
we'll never get going.
Here we are. You
can get down now.
- Thanks.
- I'll take the reins.
Hello, Roy.
Everything go all right?
Just fine, no problem.
Take him in and lock him up
and take the
cuffs off, will you?
Hi, Bill.
I'll take the horses
over to the stable.
- Howdy, Little Joe!
- How you doing, Roy?
What's bringing
you to town today?
Ah, just picking
up some supplies.
I'd like you to meet
some friends of mine.
Annie and her brother
Wiley, this is Sheriff Coffee.
Glad to make your acquaintance.
They're gonna be working for
us down at the ranch for a while.
- Good.
- So, what's new in town?
Oh, nothing much.
I did just bring in
a prisoner, though,
that I believe your
pa might remember.
His name is Sam Cane.
He's being sent back
to Utah to stand trial.
Annie, you know
we're in no hurry
to get back to the ranch.
What do you mean?
I just thought you might
want to see your father.
Yes, I do.
Well, let's go.
No, I...
I don't think Wiley would
want me to see him.
Well, I guess that's
about all. Let's go.
Wait a minute, Wiley.
Thought we might wait
and let Annie go over to
the jail and see your father.
That's all right with
you, isn't it, Wiley?
She really wants to see him.
Is he right, Annie?
Do you want to see him?
Yes.
All right, shoot, go ahead.
Wait, hold up a second.
I don't want to see him.
I just want to make
sure that Annie's all right.
Well, Joe, did you bring
your young friends over
to show them my jail?
No, Roy, Annie here
would like to see Sam Cane.
What for?
He's their father.
Well, let me have your gun then.
You don't have to
worry about that.
I'm not going in to see him.
All right.
You take your time.
I'll be outside.
Right in here.
Papa?
Papa?
What... what did you call me?
Papa.
Annie?
Annie.
Oh, Papa!
Papa!
Oh, can't believe
you're here now.
And n-none of that.
You'll have me
doing it before long.
We can't have that now.
Can we?
Oh, Annie.
Well, what are you doing here?
And Wiley.
I-Is Wiley here with you?
He's outside.
Well, what's he doing out there?
Why doesn't he come on in?
Hey, Wiley?
No, no! No, Papa.
I-I got something to tell you.
- Sheriff?
- Yeah?
What's Cane
wanted for this time?
Armed robbery.
Is there any chance he
can worm his way out of it?
Well, not very much.
From what I understand,
there's plenty of eyewitnesses.
And it's mighty hard
to beat a case like that.
Good.
When are they
coming to pick him up?
Tomorrow. Next day maybe.
Mm-hmm.
Oh.
I can't say as I really
blame him, Annie.
Well, the boy's
doing the right thing.
From the standpoint
of the way he looks at it.
Still, it... it's a
shame that...
our family had to come to this.
He's paying for crimes
he never committed.
And so am I.
What do you mean, Papa?
Oh.
I'm not going to
lie to you, darling.
I made my share of mistakes.
But-but all those things
I was charged with,
well, I had the
reputation, Annie.
If they didn't know
who'd done something,
they'd say, "Why, it must've
been Sam Cane," and...
I'd be on the run again.
Innocent in the eyes of God
but not in the eyes of men.
You're innocent?
As innocent as you or Wiley.
Well... not that
it's going to...
make any difference now.
Papa, there must be
something we can do.
No, no. It's too late now.
What you've told me,
Wiley hates me about
as deep as it can go.
No, I could never get
through to him now.
But you...
Little Annie.
Oh, you've suffered the most.
You're the one that
saddens me, Annie.
I-If only we could make us
a new life together.
Hmm?
Go away somewhere and get
us a good stretch of blackland
and farm it.
Where folks would
take us for what we were,
not for what others
said we were.
Oh, we could have
us a glorious life.
Couldn't we, Annie?
Yes, Papa.
Papa, if... if only
there was a way.
There is.
There is, Annie.
You believe I'm
innocent, don't you?
Yes.
Then help me to escape.
Bring me a gun, Annie.
It's our only chance, Annie.
I'm not just asking for me.
It's for both of us.
In another day,
it'll be too late.
I'll be in state's prison
and you'll be back in
that bitter life with Wiley.
But you can change that.
You can give us a chance
for a new life together.
Will you give us
that chance, Annie?
Will you?
Annie, time's up.
That's all right, Roy.
We understand.
Well, can she come
back and visit me again?
I suppose.
You will be back...
won't you, Annie?
Yes, Papa.
I'll be back.
Well... hello, Wiley.
Annie told me what you're doing.
It's a good thing.
I'm proud of you.
You're proud of me?
Yeah.
Son.
Then I must be
doing the wrong thing.
Come on, Annie.
Wiley?
What are you doing?
Oh, nothing. I was
just... sitting here.
You were reading.
No.
Don't be silly.
What are you reading?
Well, it's... a
book... on words.
It teaches you
how to read words.
It's called a grammar.
I thought I should
learn it, so I...
so I could, uh...
Teach me how to read?
Yeah.
It isn't right that you don't
know how to read, Annie.
I should've thought about it.
It's my mistake, I-I'm sorry.
That's all right, Wiley.
Here are your clean things.
Oh, thank you.
Wiley?
Mm-hmm?
You... you said
you made a mistake.
Ever think that...
maybe we made another mistake?
I mean, you and me.
About what?
Our father?
Don't ever call him that.
I'm not ashamed of him, Wiley.
I want to help him, Wiley.
♪♪
Joe, uh...
I... I-I want to thank you
for bringing me to
town this time of night.
Oh.
Oh, it's my pleasure, ma'am.
I'm always ready and willing
to take pretty girls for
rides in the moonlight.
A-And I want you to know that...
I-I'll always be
grateful to you,
for what you've
tried to do for me.
Even over Wiley's objections?
Wiley may not be the
best brother in the world,
but he's mine.
I guess that
excuses an awful lot.
Yeah, I guess it does.
You want me to go
in there with you?
No.
I'd rather go in alone.
I understand.
I'll pick you up
here in half an hour.
Good evening, Annie.
Evening.
Your pa just
finished his supper.
Go right ahead in.
Thank you.
Annie... did you bring it?
You wait for me outside, Annie.
Sheriff?
Sheriff!
Joe... where's Annie?
What do you want with her?
I said, where's Annie?
What have you done with her?
I took her down to the
jail to see your father.
I told her she
couldn't see him again.
Well, I think she's old enough
to decide that for herself.
Annie's my sister.
I've looked after her
since we were little kids.
Until she met you,
she used to listen to me.
Now, I've told you once
to stay away from her.
You take my advice; don't
make me tell you again.
I don't need your advice.
♪♪
Wiley!
♪♪
♪♪
See anything?
How long you been trailing me?
Ever since yesterday.
Why?
Because of Annie.
My sister's no concern of yours.
Yeah, well, I think she is.
What's happened is as
much my fault as anybody's.
No.
It's Sam Cane.
He could talk the
birds out of the trees.
He knows just where to hit you,
the exact spot.
It's an instinct he has,
like a rattlesnake.
And he poisons
everything he touches...
including Annie.
She loves him and he knows it
and he uses that love.
He used it to get out of jail
and he'll keep right on using it
as long as he needs it.
And then he'll run away
again, just like always.
Well, he's not gonna get
to run very far this time.
No, he's gone as
far as he's gonna go.
All his life he's been doing
things to Annie and me,
and we've had to pay for it.
This time is gonna be different.
This time he's gonna pay for it.
'Cause I'm gonna kill him.
Oh, come on, Wiley, talk sense.
Do you really think
you can live your life
after you've killed your father?
I know I can.
It'll be like
breathing fresh air
for the first time in my life.
People will say, "There
goes Wiley Cane.
"Remember his old man?
Boy made up for that."
That's what people will say.
No, I don't think so.
I think they'll say,
"There goes Wiley Cane,
"the boy who murdered his father
and ruined his sister's life."
That's why, when
we find your father,
we're gonna bring him
back to Virginia City.
Alive.
♪♪
All right.
Now we're gonna
find your father.
We're gonna find him together.
♪♪
Papa?
Papa, can we rest a minute?
Oh, sure.
Sure.
Well.
My little girl must
be exhausted.
Here now.
You sit down here.
Here.
You know, we'll be
able to stop tonight.
There's an old line shack
about ten miles from here.
Well, there's food
there and a bed.
Well, you'll get a good rest.
I'm sorry, Papa.
I'm holding you back.
No, no. We're making good time.
There's a lot of distance
between us and Virginia City.
Oh, but you just wait till
you see where we're going.
Up north.
Yeah.
You never seen the
Oregon Country, have you?
Oh, you think this is something.
You just wait till
you see Oregon.
It's big country.
It's deserts,
forests, great rivers.
Kind of country a
man can get lost in.
Start all over.
Oh, Annie, Annie, I'm
gonna make it all up to you.
Annie?
You all right?
Oh, I'm fine, Papa.
Just I can hardly believe it.
Here now, you...
you just rest.
There's a stream
just over the hill.
I'll water the horse.
You just rest here.
Get your strength back.
Papa?
I love you, Papa.
I love you, Annie.
It's good to have
our little girl back.
I'll be right back, Annie.
All right, Papa.
♪♪
What's the meaning of this?
What's wrong?
What are you stopping me for?
You'd be pretty tough
to miss from here, Cane.
All right, let's have it.
Slow and easy.
All right, now let's go
back and find Annie.
I said move.
Annie!
Get off.
Annie, you all right?
Well, of course she's all right.
What do you think I am?
Annie?
Annie, I, I-I-I
was just going...
Papa... I know.
You don't have to say it.
Make him say it, Annie.
Make him say he's sorry.
He's never had to say it before.
Come on, Wiley,
put the gun down.
Put it down!
Mm-mm.
You pull that
trigger, I pull this one.
Annie, I'm gonna show you
what kind of a man
your father really is.
Because I'm gonna make him
get down on his knees
and crawl over to you
and beg forgiveness.
And then I'm gonna kill him.
Yeah, that's right, Wiley.
You go ahead, you use the gun.
Pull the trigger!
That's what he'd do.
He wouldn't think
about Annie, either.
You both hurt her
so much already.
And now you can finish the job.
Because when you kill him,
you're killing Annie, too.
Well, go on, Wiley,
what's the matter?
Does it stick in your throat?
Are you thinking
maybe it's about
time you thought
about somebody
else besides yourself?
I'm thinking about him.
He deserves to die.
He deserves to be killed
for what he's done to us.
What has he done, Wiley?
Annie, please
get out of the way.
What has he done?
What has he done?
Has he filled our
lives with bitterness
and hatred?
Has he changed every
moment into despair?
Well, answer me, Wiley! Has he?!
Yes!
Are you so sure?
Oh, Wiley, Wiley.
Look into yourself.
There's the bitterness.
And the hatred.
The despair.
But he put it there, Annie.
Everything that's inside of me,
everything that's inside
of you he put there.
You don't know
your father, Annie.
You just don't know your father.
I do.
I guess I've always known.
Same as I know what
kind of a man you are.
That hasn't stopped me
from loving either one of you.
♪♪
You know, neither
one of you deserve her.
As a daughter or a sister.
Annie?
Annie?
I was thinking that, uh,
maybe I, I'd go on
out to California.
You know?
Maybe the two of
us, you, you and me.
California?
Yeah.
Like we always dreamed about.
You and me, huh?
Wiley, it won't be
the same, will it?
No.
No, won't ever be
the same again, Annie.
I promise you.
Promise you.
Joe?
Th-This might sound foolish.
But I've got to
believe in someone.
Good luck.
♪♪
This has been a color production
of the NBC Television Network.