Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 8, Episode 26 - Dark Enough to See the Stars - full transcript
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(fanfare plays)
♪♪
(chuckling): Hey, wait a minute.
Hold it, hold it.
You don't need that gun, boy.
Maybe I don't.
Maybe I do.
It all depends on what you want.
I saw your fire.
I was just, uh,
just wondered what
you were doing here.
Is this your land?
Yeah, yeah.
Name's Cartwright.
This is Ponderosa land.
Why don't you put
down that gun, boy?
(coughing)
What are you doing here?
I'm fixing some beans.
Well, tell you what, I got a,
I got a better idea.
Why don't we put
out this fire, and, uh,
and you come along with
me back to the ranch house,
and I'll get you something
substantial to eat.
Looks like you could use it.
Look, I'm just drifting through.
I'm not asking for charity.
Well, I-I didn't realize
I was offering any.
No, I guess you weren't.
L-Look, I'll just eat
up what I got here
and then I'll move on.
If you're worried
about the fire, don't be.
- I'll put it out.
- I wasn't worried about the fire.
(coughing)
You all right, boy?
(sniffles) Yeah, I'm fine.
Well, maybe you'd better
come along with me, huh?
Well, I don't need your help.
I don't need anybody's help.
Just make sure you put
out the fire before you leave.
Yeah, I said I would, didn't I?
(coughing)
(theme song playing)
Well, what about him?
There's nothing
wrong with that lad
a dozen or more
square meals won't cure.
You mean that's all
that's wrong with him?
He just ain't been
eating regular?
Not regular for the past
couple of weeks or so, I'd say.
Good thing you found him, Ben.
In his condition, he might
have come down with anything.
But he'll be fine as long
as he gets some rest
and plenty of Hop
Sing's good cooking.
(chuckling)
Nothing more I can do.
How about some coffee?
No, thanks.
I got to get back to town.
Take it easy, Doc.
You bet.
Thanks for coming out, Doc.
Not at all.
Night.
Well, I'd better get some
food for that young fella.
Pa?
Well, like the doc
says, it is sort of strange
that a young boy like that'd
be riding around, missing meals.
Well, I guess it is strange,
but it happens.
Yeah, you don't, uh,
you don't reckon he's maybe
running from the law, do you?
And why do you say that?
Well, you said he
pulled a gun on you.
Yeah, he did pull a gun,
but the gun was empty.
He didn't have
any ammunition, no.
No, I think he's just a
scared kid down on his luck.
That hot soup of Hop Sing's
will do him a lot of good.
What's going on? I just
saw Doc Martin leave.
Yeah, Pa ran into
this young feller
out in the north pasture today,
and standing there talking
with him, the kid just collapsed.
He brought him in.
He's up there now.
- How's he doing?
- He's all right.
Doc says a little sleep,
a few square meals,
he'll be all right.
Hey, you're
working sort of late,
- ain't you, little brother?
- Well, I got
a hundred and one
things to take care of
if I'm gonna leave for
Placerville in the morning.
- Hi, Joe.
- Hey, Pa.
- Everything all right?
- Yeah.
Hoss was just telling me
about that boy you found.
Oh, yeah. Well, he'll be fine.
He's just, uh, tired
and hungry, you know?
Uh, you got everything
taken care of?
Yeah, got it right here.
Got the power of
attorney from Sam Bates
and the letter from Jim Powers.
Yeah, good. Oh, listen, Joe,
be careful of Slim Hackett.
Don't let him skin
you on those horses.
He's been trying to
skin me for 20 years.
Don't you worry, Pa. I won't
let Slim take advantage of me.
- You taught me right.
- (laughs)
If I'm gonna leave bright
and early in the morning,
I'd better get some sleep.
Yeah, as a matter
of fact, little brother,
you ought to get all
the sleep you can,
because, uh, you
want to look your best
for all them pretty gals you're
gonna meet in Placerville.
Now, Hoss, how can
you say a thing like that?
You know the only
thing on my mind is work.
- Sure.
- Yeah, well, you just make sure
that most of your
mind is on work.
Oh, it-it will be,
Pa, it will be.
Most of it.
Good night.
(chuckles)
(coughing)
(knocking)
Morning.
Feel any better?
I feel all right.
Good, good.
Mind if I sit down?
(sighs)
Enjoy your breakfast?
You know, uh, I
told you my name,
but I guess I missed
hearing yours.
Billy.
Billy?
Well, nice to know you, Billy.
Billy what?
Billy... Billy Wilcox.
Where you from, Billy?
Arizona.
Hey, what did you
do with my clothes?
(chuckles) Oh, I'm
afraid your clothes
sort of fell apart just as
soon as they hit the water.
You know, clothes got to
be washed now and then.
Look, I ain't had much time
for that kind of thing lately.
Yeah, well, never mind.
We, we rounded
you up another outfit.
I told you I don't
want no charity.
I'll pay you.
You got any money, son?
No, not right now.
(sighs)
You know, a young
fellow like yourself
doesn't usually
get into this, uh,
this kind of condition.
You running away from something?
I ain't running.
I'm just passing through here.
Ah, itchy feet, huh?
That's right.
Your feet so itchy, Billy,
that, uh, you haven't got time
to stop and sleep?
Bathe or wash your clothes?
Well...
You, uh, you want to talk,
any time, be glad
to hear your story.
Mr. Cartwright?
I ain't ungrateful
for what you done.
About those
clothes, I'll pay you.
I'll work it out
or, or I'll move on
and, uh, send you the
money when I get some work.
If you really want
a job, you got one.
But first you got to rest
for a couple of
two or three days
and get yourself
some good food in you.
Well, tha-thank you, thank you.
Hoss, we, uh,
just hired ourselves a new hand.
Well, good, we're
gonna need one.
Hi.
My name's Hoss.
Hoss Cartwright.
(coughing)
My name's Billy.
Happy to meet you, Billy.
My little brother being
gone, I'm gonna need a hand.
Well, don't you worry.
I can do my share.
Yeah, I'll bet you can, too.
Look here, I brung
you some clothes.
If you need anything else,
just give a yell, you hear.
Hey, Billy, you're weaker
than I thought you was.
I figured you'd have this wagon
loaded by the time I got back.
You know, Hoss,
I was just thinking
that I'm feeling strong enough
that I could have gone
and got the mail for you.
Well, I figured no more
breakfast than you ate,
you wouldn't have enough energy
to get all the way
to the post office.
Let's go home. Come on.
Without getting
something to eat first?
Yeah, Billy, if
you'd like. Sure.
Well, Hoss, I think I can
hold out till we get back.
Come on.
Giddap.
(Ben speaking indistinctly,
horses whinnying)
Very good, Bill.
Listen, there's a
bunch of stragglers...
Bunch of strays up at
the, uh, north pasture.
Bring them down.
Hey.
Whoa.
Well, that was a
pretty quick trip.
Yeah, we had to run the
horses pretty near all the way.
- Really?
- Hoss was getting hungry.
- (chuckles)
- Dad-burnit, that ain't so.
You're getting to sound
more like my little brother
all the time.
- Here's the mail, Pa.
- Good.
(chuckles)
Here, hold this.
That, uh, Billy's a
pretty good worker.
Yeah, I reckon. He's
a strange boy, though.
The moment you think you're
getting a little close to him,
he sort of backs off.
Do you figure on
keeping him around?
Yeah, I thought I would. Why?
Well, the bunkhouse is full,
and I thought maybe
we'd move him out there
as soon as we
get a place for him.
Yeah, well, I... (clears throat)
Might be an idea to
let him stay where he is.
Keep him around the family.
I don't think he's had
too much of a family life.
I think you're right.
- He really opened up to me today.
- Oh, yeah?
I think he needed
a little friendship
as much as he needed food.
That was just what was
going through my mind.
Well, I'll... Tom Yardley.
- Really?
- (laughs) Yes, well...
Hey, he and Jennifer
are coming to Virginia City.
- Well, hot dog.
- Yeah, th-the tenth.
- Hey, that's tomorrow, isn't it?
- That's right.
From Tucson.
When does the stage
get in from Tucson?
Noon, I think. Yeah.
By golly.
- (laughter)
- Hey, dad... hey,
I just thought of something.
Little Joe is sure
gonna be disappointed
he's gonna miss Jennifer.
Well, I don't know if he's
gonna be disappointed.
(mumbles) This is what Tom says.
"We're planning to buy
some land around Virginia City
and settle down
around your parts."
Hey, wouldn't that be something?
- BEN: Oh... (chuckles)
- After all these years,
you two end up being neighbors.
(chuckling): That'd
be wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
You know what? We're
going into town tomorrow,
we're gonna surprise them, we're
gonna have a little celebration.
Fine, fine.
- BEN: Yeah?
- Yeah.
Hey, listen, what about, uh...
what about taking Billy in?
He might enjoy that.
Yeah, sure. Why not?
- Get the other things, yeah?
- Yes, sir.
Hey, Billy.
We're in for a real treat.
One of Pa's dearest old
friends is coming down tomorrow,
and you and me and Pa
are gonna go and meet him.
He's got the best-looking
daughter you ever seen.
I sure hope that
stage is on time.
Be nice to see old Tom Yardley.
Yeah, sure is gonna
be nice to see him.
And I'll tell you, I ain't
gonna be altogether unhappy
about seeing that
daughter Jennifer of his.
(chuckling): Yes.
- Hey.
- Hey, Ben.
- Tom, you son of a gun!
- How are you?!
- It's good to see you.
- It's good to see you, too.
You're a sight for sore eyes.
- Hiya, Hoss.
- Hi, Mr. Yardley.
- How are you?
- Hey, where's Little Joe?
Oh, he had to go to
Placerville, he'll be back.
Where's that
little girl of yours?
Here I am, Uncle Ben.
BEN: Well...
Oh, my goodness.
It's good to see you.
You've got yourself
a young lady here.
Jennifer, if Joseph was here,
I'd insist on a wedding
ceremony being performed
at this very moment.
Oh, Uncle Ben, quit it.
You and Dad have been
trying to arrange a marriage
- since before I was born.
- That's right.
And if the truth were
known, we hate each other.
No, you don't.
Hoss.
H-Hi, Jennifer.
You know, it could be you
picked the wrong son for me.
That's right, dad-burn...
Hey, Billy, come here a minute.
Billy Wilcox, this
is Mr. Yardley.
Hello, Billy.
And this is his
daughter, Jennifer.
Hello, Billy.
Oh, uh, Ben, uh...
I'd like you to meet Sam Denton.
He's been our
traveling companion
all the way from Tucson.
This is the Ben Cartwright
I've been telling you about.
Mr. Denton.
- Mr. Cartwright.
- How are you, sir?
Sam, here, is one of those
famous Texas Rangers.
BEN: Oh, well, pleasure, sir.
I hope, uh, that what brings you
to the jewel of the Comstock
is pleasure, not business.
DENTON: I'm afraid
not, Mr. Cartwright.
I'm here to see your sheriff,
- Roy Coffee.
- Oh.
Roy's an old friend; his office
is just down the street there.
Thank you.
Jennifer.
Bye, Mr. Denton.
- Tom.
- Sam.
Why don't we get
settled into the hotel?
Y-You'll have weeks
to talk to Uncle Ben.
- All right, honey.
- BEN: Now, hold it, wait a minute.
Wait a minute, nobody's
gonna go to any hotel.
You're staying at the
Ponderosa with us.
Hoss, will you load
up the bags, please?
Now, Ben, look...
BEN: Look, it's all settled.
All right, Tom?
Not another word of argument.
Billy.
Billy?
Give Hoss a hand, will you?
In you get.
All right, Billy, hop in.
Pa, I'll stick around here
and take care of everything,
you guys go ahead.
Uh, listen, talk to Ed Bates.
Find out what delivery date he
wants on that timber he ordered.
I sure will.
Have you always
lived here, Billy?
No, ma'am, I'm not
from around here.
And I ain't thinking
on staying too long.
Now, hold on just one second.
What about the time
that you were trying
to impress your girlfriend,
and you backed right
into the horse trough?
I swear to this day,
you pushed me.
I wasn't within 20 feet of you!
(laughing)
You two.
What didn't you get into?
And you have the
nerve to complain
about your own children.
Well, I'll tell you, Ben,
you always did have it easy.
Raising three
boys, nothing to it.
- But raising a girl alone...
- Now, hold on there.
What makes you think that
raising three boys is so easy?
HOSS: Ah, now, come on, Pa.
We never did
give you no trouble.
Let them complain, Hoss.
That's what fathers are for.
That's right.
Isn't that right, Billy?
Uh, well, I don't... I
don't rightly know, ma'am.
Well, you can take my word
for it, it's right about these two.
You see that, Ben?
No respect for her elders.
I swear if I don't
get her married off...
You eat.
You know what doctor say.
You need fat on your bone.
Oh, h-have you been ill?
No, ma'am.
It wasn't nothing.
Billy Wilcox, if you don't
stop calling me "ma'am,"
between that and my father
trying to get me married off,
I'm beginning to feel
like a-an old maid.
You ain't never gonna be
an old maid, Miss Jennifer.
What a nice thing to say.
Jennifer, you be
careful of that Billy.
I think he just might
be a ladies' man.
Now, Billy, don't let
him embarrass you.
Tom, you, uh, really
thinking of buying
a piece of property around here?
Got an appointment in
town first thing in the morning.
Good, good, that'll give
us some time to play
a little bit of chess,
won't it? Hop Sing?
How about bringing
out the chessboard?
Already set up, Mr. Cartwright.
Well, now.
Do I, uh, sense a challenge?
Well, unless you're
afraid to meet it.
Afraid?
Why, I beat you three straight
the last time we were together.
Tom, it seems to me it was
just about the other way around.
Well, that's the end
of this evening, Hoss.
They'll be at it until
4:00 in the morning.
The last time they played,
they played all day and all
night and all the next day.
And they're still arguing
who won that one.
(chuckling): Yeah.
Do you play chess, Billy?
No, ma'am.
(sighs)
Why don't you just
call me Jennifer?
All right... Jennifer.
That's better.
If you two will excuse me,
I think I'll go to my room.
Yes, ma'am.
Good night, Jennifer.
Good night, Hoss.
Good night, Billy.
Good night.
Night, Dad.
Good night.
Night, Uncle Ben.
Good night.
What'd I tell you, Billy?
Ain't she something?
She's the nicest
girl I ever met.
Well, you and me had
better get some shut-eye.
We got a rough day tomorrow.
Yeah, well, Hoss, you go on.
I'm gonna take a little walk.
Good night.
Good night, Mr. Yardley, Pa.
HOSS: Put it there with
the rest of the stuff, Bill.
So, you stayed up half the
night looking at the stars, huh?
Yeah, I just wasn't
sleepy, Hoss.
Well, I must say you've done
a pretty fair day's
work already today.
I'll tell you what, Billy.
You go on back to the house
and get the chores started,
and I'll finish up here.
Okay, whatever you say.
JENNIFER: Yoo-hoo, Hoss, Billy!
Hi, Jennifer.
Hi, Hoss, hi, Billy.
I'm ready to go for
that ride you promised.
Doggone it, Jennifer.
I-I got all tied up here,
and it's gonna take me
longer than I figured on.
Oh, but, Hoss, you promised.
I wanted to ride
over by the pond.
I haven't been there in so long.
Well, I-I know you
was counting on it...
Say, Hoss, I'm going
back that way anyhow.
Why don't I ride along with her?
Good idea.
Would you, Billy?
Well, sure, if it's
okay with Hoss.
Oh, sure, go right ahead.
Oh, thanks, Hoss.
I'll see you back at
the house after a while.
Have a good time!
I love this country, Billy.
I sure appreciate
your riding with me.
My pleasure.
Have you ever been to the pond?
No, I haven't.
Come on, I'll race you.
You're on.
Giddap.
You win, you win.
Oh, this is the spot
I wanted to see.
Oh, Billy, isn't it beautiful?
Don't you just love it?
Sure do, Jennifer.
Oh, I'd like to have a
place like this myself
and just settle down,
never move away from it.
Hmm, I know the feeling.
Father and I have
traveled so much.
So have I.
You know,
Father thinks of
me as a little girl.
But people our
age, like you and me,
we have our dreams.
Don't you think so, Billy?
Yeah.
Sure, we've got our
dreams, Jennifer.
Just seems like sometimes
they ain't ever gonna come true.
What's your dream, Billy?
Oh, a home, I think.
Doesn't have to
be much, of course,
just a little piece of land
with a-a house on a knoll.
That ain't much
of a dream, is it?
Oh, it's a good dream, Billy.
And it will come true.
Oh, what's the matter?
Did I say something wrong?
No.
No, you could never
say nothing wrong.
Not to me.
It's that some dreams
never come true.
Well, Hoss.
Howdy, Mr. Denton, how are you?
Fine.
Here, I'll take your horse.
Your father home?
Yes, sir, he's in the house.
- Thank you.
- Yes, sir.
Hey, Billy, Jennifer.
How was the pond?
Just great, Hoss.
Hello, Mr. Denton!
Hey, uh, Billy, you
and me got work to do.
Yeah.
Jennifer, how'd you like
to see our new colts?
Sure would.
We got a barn full of 'em.
(knocking on door)
Who is it?!
(knocking on door)
Yes?
Mr. Cartwright.
Oh, Mr. Denton, come in.
- Thank you.
- Didn't expect to see you.
Well, what are you
doing in these parts?
Well, just checking out
this part of the country.
Uh-huh.
Sheriff Coffee told
me, if I got out this way,
I should drop in and say hello.
Well, I'm glad you did.
I surely am.
Uh, just having some
coffee, will you join me?
Thank you.
Well, how do you like it, black?
- Black's fine.
- Good.
Nice place you've got here.
Thank you.
Mr. Denton, you,
uh, getting a line
on that, uh, man
you've been trailing?
Well, that's hard to say.
I followed him all the
way from San Antone.
Uh-huh.
Through the Arizona Territory.
That's when I decided
to take the stage
and come on down here.
He might head this way.
Of course, with all that silver
being mined around these parts,
drifters move in and out
of Virginia City very fast.
But the one I'm looking
for is a young fella
about the same age and size
as that young Billy
Wilcox out there
talking to your boy Hoss.
That so?
Well, Sheriff Coffee tells me
you got a real fine
family, Mr. Cartwright.
He says you... (chuckles)
All my life I wanted
to have a son,
more than anything else.
I never was able to have one.
He tells me you've
got three fine boys.
You're a pretty lucky man.
Yes, I've always considered
myself very fortunate.
I like to see
that sort of thing,
family, close-knit,
everybody caring for each other.
That's unlike the background
of the young fellow
that I've been trailing,
this Aaron Mendoza.
Oh, yes.
Uh, what did this
young fellow do?
He killed a man down in Texas.
Oh, did he?
Different background than...
what your boys
had, Mr. Cartwright.
This young fella, he, uh,
he lost his family in an
Indian raid on a wagon train.
There was only two survivors,
an old man and the kid.
That old man walked
into town carrying that kid,
both of them more
dead than alive.
The next day, the old man
died, and that left the kid alone.
(grunts)
And, uh, how'd the
little fellow get on?
Well, there was this gal,
worked in a local saloon.
She kind of took
a liking to the kid.
She took him under her wing,
mothered him, you
might say, and...
she had this little old shack
out on the edge of town.
Wasn't much, but
she gave that boy
a roof over his head.
But he had it tough,
doing odd jobs, stable chores,
washing the floor.
But she did one
decent thing for him.
She gave him his name, Mendoza.
That was her name.
And he just thought the
sun rose and set on her.
How'd it happen
he killed this man?
One night,
oh, better than
a year ago it was,
that kid... came to the
saloon to walk home
with Angel Mendoza when
she, um, finished work.
She never liked him
to come into the saloon.
Hi.
Aaron, go on home, will you?
You know I don't
like you in here.
No, I think I'd rather hang
around and wait for you.
Hey, Angel, where
are those drinks?
I want you to go home.
Angel, the drinks.
Gosh, I'm not gonna wait
around here all day long for them.
- It's about time.
- All right.
Here. Now drink up
and get out of here.
(groans)
What's the matter, Angel,
you worried about your son?
That is what they
call him, ain't it?
Aaron, he's drunk.
Now do as I asked and go home.
Yeah, stray, go on
home; your mother's busy.
(groans)
Barclay, I think
you'd better shut up.
Oh, you're a big man.
You want to feel important.
Come on over here
and wipe that up.
Jack, you're drunk.
Now take your friends
and get out of here.
Come on, now. You
know what she wants.
She wants you to take your
friends and get out of here.
You talk like that,
and you'd better start
drawing on me, stray.
Aaron.
- Aaron...
- (gunshot)
Drop it, kid.
Leave it to the law.
Marshal, he shot her.
It was an accident, Marshal.
If you shoot him, you'll hang.
(sighs) Of course
there was a trial.
There was a trial.
The jury acquitted him.
Saloon gals come
and go, Mr. Cartwright.
Nobody cares very much
what happens to them,
and it wasn't long
before everybody forgot it.
Everybody except the kid.
And he didn't forget.
I didn't see this.
The report was
made up much later,
based on accounts that
came from quite a few sources.
That kid stayed out of
sight for a while after that.
People figured
that he'd lit out.
Hmm.
The word around town was
that the Barclays
had threatened him,
told him to get out of town.
But he didn't get out of town?
That's right, he didn't leave.
And he and Jack Barclay tangled.
The shooting took place
right there in the saloon
where Angel Mendoza
had been working.
And according to
Barclay's brother,
the kid came in
and just opened fire.
Was there anybody else there?
Yeah, three or four.
They were Barclay's men.
They all told the
same story, huh?
Naturally.
Mr. Denton, it might
have happened
in a different way, though.
I mean, couldn't it?
Couldn't it have
been a... a fair fight?
Maybe.
But we can only go on
the findings, Mr. Cartwright.
(sighs)
Mr. Denton,
everything doesn't have
to be black and white.
It is in my business.
There are no grays, no shadows.
I'm not a judge.
My job is just to find
him and bring him in.
Maybe that's one of the reasons
why I'm sick and
tired of the job.
Thanks.
That was mighty fine coffee.
♪♪
Penny for your thoughts.
Did you hear me?
Yeah, I heard.
I just don't think my
thoughts are worth a penny.
You sound like you have
the whole world
on your shoulders.
Well, I didn't mean to.
I-I had a good
time this afternoon.
So did I.
Jennifer, you know,
you're so easy to talk to.
I just wish everybody else was.
They are, if you'll just
give them a chance.
Well, they are to you, yeah.
Billy, you know,
out there by the pond today,
you were telling me
about your dreams.
Hold on to those dreams.
Well, like I said before,
some of them don't come true.
(sighs) If you're going to
be in this kind of a mood
at the party tomorrow
night... Party?
Yes, the party that
Uncle Ben's giving
for Daddy and me tomorrow night.
You're coming, aren't you?
Oh, I don't know.
Well, I do.
You're coming and you're
going to be my escort.
(chuckles) Well, you know,
there's nothing on this earth
that would make me any
prouder than that, Jennifer, but...
Billy, you're coming to
the party, and that settles it.
Agreed?
Yeah, agreed.
Good night, Billy.
Mr. Cartwright, I
got to talk to you.
Good, Billy, I was
hoping you would.
You know, I told you, any
time you're ready to talk,
I was ready to listen.
Huh?
Well, no,
all I wanted to tell
you was that, uh,
after the party, I'm leaving.
Oh.
Any, uh, any particular reason?
Yeah, I think you made
a mistake about me.
Did I? How's that?
Well, Mr. Cartwright,
when you, uh, took me in,
I think you felt sorry for me.
You thought I was
sick of drifting around,
missing meals and all that.
You see, that's
where you were wrong,
'cause I like that kind of life.
I really miss it, and I
want to get back to it.
I see.
You, uh, you really like the...
the life of a drifter, huh?
I mean, you,
you-you-you like to flit around
from one place to another,
from hither to thither to yon,
not doing anything
with your life,
just sort of letting
your life drift away.
You really enjoy that?
That's right.
Hmm.
Billy... what are
you running from?
I ain't running.
I just told you, I'm
drifting through.
I like to see what's on-on
the other side of the hill.
Hmm, yeah, I see.
And how do you,
how do you propose
to, uh, to live
while you're drifting
from one side of
the hill to the other?
Oh, somebody
always picks you up,
takes care of you,
like you did me.
That's all it's meant to you?
Yeah, that's all.
(sighs)
Look, uh, Mr. Cartwright,
it's not that, that
I'm ungrateful
for what you've done,
because I am grateful.
I'm sorry, but it's
got to be this way.
You're sorry?
(sighs)
Well, Billy, you just,
uh, keep on running.
(chuckles)
I can't make your
decisions for you.
Good night.
Mr. Cartwright?
No, it wasn't nothing.
Never mind, never mind.
(sighs)
Yeah.
(music playing, laughter)
Oh, them are lovely.
Thank you, Hop Sing.
Sue, come over here a minute.
I want you to meet some people.
Oh, thank you. Tom,
will you have some?
No, thank you.
You, uh, had yourself
a successful day, huh?
Well, I, um... I think
you might say that.
You know a property
called the, uh, Rivers Ranch?
(chuckles) Oh, do I
know that property?
I've had my eye
on it for three years.
Now, don't tell
me that's for sale.
Not now.
I bought it.
You bought the Rivers Ranch?
Why, you old
slick-dealing son of a gun.
- That's wonderful.
- (laughing)
Oh, that's a beautiful
piece of property.
Did you tell Jennifer yet?
Uh, no, I'm, uh, sort of
saving it for a surprise.
Oh, she'll be
surprised, all right.
Well, there's Sam Denton.
HOSS: Come in, Mr. Denton.
Take your hat?
- Thank you.
- Fine, fine.
I, uh, saw Sam in
town this afternoon
and asked him to come
out if he had a chance.
I hope you don't mind.
Well, no, of course not.
Of course I don't mind.
(music continues playing inside)
Billy.
Why aren't you at the party?
I missed you.
Oh, you know, all
those people inside.
They're strangers.
Some of our best friends
were strangers once.
Jennifer, do you know,
I have never met
anybody just like you.
Nothing seems to get you down.
You just take it for granted
that everything in your life
is gonna work out all right.
Don't you, Billy?
I don't know.
I just don't know.
- (guests applauding inside)
- Well, it can be right
if you really want it
a-and you work to make it so.
Well, now, you make
it sound easy, all right,
the way you talk about it.
You sound just
like Mr. Cartwright.
What do you mean?
Nothing.
Boy, I sure like the stars
the way they look tonight.
They're clean.
Pure.
You're like that, Jennifer.
Like the stars.
(sighs)
What's worrying you, Billy?
You know, you're...
you're like two people.
Oh, you're sweet and
kind and... and tender.
And then it's as if you
go into a dark room
and close the door.
Maybe that's what it is.
I'm trying to be two people.
There are no stars
in a dark room, Billy.
I love you, Billy Wilcox.
(door opens)
(guests talking, laughing)
Well, enjoyed the party, Ben.
BEN: Thank you so much.
Billy!
- Sam, good night.
- Thank you, Ben.
- Nice to have you...
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Ben, wonderful party.
- Good night.
- Night.
- All right.
Night night.
- Good night.
- Thank you for such a good night.
- Good night.
- Good-bye.
- (laughter)
- Good night.
- This was a great idea.
- Oh, was it.
(laughter)
(Ben exhales)
Well, I think it was
a good shindig.
- Oh, it was, it was.
- A great one. Great one.
I'll tell you, it's getting
a little late for me.
I think I'm gonna go
to bed and I'll see you.
Good night. Uh, Hop Sing.
What are we
having for breakfast?
Hop Sing decide when
breakfast time come.
Not before.
Yeah, well, very good.
Good night, Hop Sing.
Good night, gentlemen.
- (Ben chuckles)
- Good night, Mr. Hoss.
See you early tomorrow morning.
Tom, how about relaxing
over a cup of coffee?
Do you know, I'm still
too excited to relax?
I think I'll go outside
and find Jennifer
and tell her about the ranch.
She's going to be a very
happy little girl when you tell her.
(both chuckle)
Jennifer.
Jen?
Jen, what's the matter, baby?
Nothing's the matter.
And I'm not a baby!
Jennifer?
Jennifer?
(door closes)
Tom, what was that all about?
I'd be the last to know.
I told you, be thankful
you've got boys.
♪♪
Billy?
Don't call me Billy.
What's the matter, son?
I just found out you
can't be two people.
Nobody can.
You know what she said to me?
She said, "I love
you, Billy Wilcox."
And I made a lie out of it,
'cause I'm not Billy Wilcox!
My name is Aaron Mendoza.
Do you know what you're saying?
I know!
I know and I want you
to hear the rest of it.
I killed a man... in Texas.
That's right, I killed a man!
And I was running...
I was running when you
found me, 'cause I was scared.
Tell me about it, Aaron.
His name was Barclay.
He killed a woman.
A woman who was
like a mother to me.
He killed her, but the
jury turned him loose.
And then he told
me to get out of town.
Well, I didn't want
to leave that town,
'cause that was a home
to me, Mr. Cartwright.
It's the only one I ever knew.
I... I went to the saloon
and I tried to
explain that to him.
But he wouldn't listen.
He started cussing me out.
Next thing I knew,
he was shooting.
I was scared, I shot back.
Then he was lying there dead.
And I ran.
Sure wish you hadn't run.
That was... self-defense.
I ran because nobody was
going to believe me in that town.
Nobody's going to believe
me in Jack Barclay's town.
Aaron, I believe you.
What am I gonna do?
What do you think
you ought to do?
I know what I ought to do.
I ought to go back
there and face up to it.
I would, if anybody'd
believe me.
I got to go back, don't I?
It may not be so bad, Aaron.
Mr. Denton.
There's been a lot of changes
made in your hometown.
The Barclays
aren't there anymore
and there's a judge who
isn't bought and paid for.
All right.
I'll go back.
Well, there's no hurry.
The stage doesn't leave
until noon tomorrow.
And I reckon you've
got a few things
you'd like to attend
to around here.
Why don't you just ride in
and meet me in the morning?
Don't worry about
him, Mr. Cartwright,
I'll stand by him.
Thank you.
You meet me at the
sheriff's office, son.
Good night.
And he trusts me?
Yeah, he doesn't
think I'm gonna run?
No.
No, neither do I.
I don't think you're
ever gonna run again.
But if you do, you'll
run in the right direction.
You know, Aaron, a
lot of people in this world
you don't have to run away from.
You run to them.
Do you really have to go?
There's some unfinished business
that I've got to take care of.
But you'll be back, won't you?
Sure, Jennifer, I'll be back.
I still got my dream...
That little house on a knoll...
And I want you
to help me find it.
Oh, I will.
I promise you I will.
♪♪
They do grow up,
Ben, don't they?
Hmm.
Right in front of your eyes.
Yeah, they sure do.
Hoss, we got some work to do.
We got to help our new
neighbors build a ranch.
ANNOUNCER: This has
been a color production
of the NBC Television Network.
is brought to you in
living color on NBC.
(fanfare plays)
♪♪
(chuckling): Hey, wait a minute.
Hold it, hold it.
You don't need that gun, boy.
Maybe I don't.
Maybe I do.
It all depends on what you want.
I saw your fire.
I was just, uh,
just wondered what
you were doing here.
Is this your land?
Yeah, yeah.
Name's Cartwright.
This is Ponderosa land.
Why don't you put
down that gun, boy?
(coughing)
What are you doing here?
I'm fixing some beans.
Well, tell you what, I got a,
I got a better idea.
Why don't we put
out this fire, and, uh,
and you come along with
me back to the ranch house,
and I'll get you something
substantial to eat.
Looks like you could use it.
Look, I'm just drifting through.
I'm not asking for charity.
Well, I-I didn't realize
I was offering any.
No, I guess you weren't.
L-Look, I'll just eat
up what I got here
and then I'll move on.
If you're worried
about the fire, don't be.
- I'll put it out.
- I wasn't worried about the fire.
(coughing)
You all right, boy?
(sniffles) Yeah, I'm fine.
Well, maybe you'd better
come along with me, huh?
Well, I don't need your help.
I don't need anybody's help.
Just make sure you put
out the fire before you leave.
Yeah, I said I would, didn't I?
(coughing)
(theme song playing)
Well, what about him?
There's nothing
wrong with that lad
a dozen or more
square meals won't cure.
You mean that's all
that's wrong with him?
He just ain't been
eating regular?
Not regular for the past
couple of weeks or so, I'd say.
Good thing you found him, Ben.
In his condition, he might
have come down with anything.
But he'll be fine as long
as he gets some rest
and plenty of Hop
Sing's good cooking.
(chuckling)
Nothing more I can do.
How about some coffee?
No, thanks.
I got to get back to town.
Take it easy, Doc.
You bet.
Thanks for coming out, Doc.
Not at all.
Night.
Well, I'd better get some
food for that young fella.
Pa?
Well, like the doc
says, it is sort of strange
that a young boy like that'd
be riding around, missing meals.
Well, I guess it is strange,
but it happens.
Yeah, you don't, uh,
you don't reckon he's maybe
running from the law, do you?
And why do you say that?
Well, you said he
pulled a gun on you.
Yeah, he did pull a gun,
but the gun was empty.
He didn't have
any ammunition, no.
No, I think he's just a
scared kid down on his luck.
That hot soup of Hop Sing's
will do him a lot of good.
What's going on? I just
saw Doc Martin leave.
Yeah, Pa ran into
this young feller
out in the north pasture today,
and standing there talking
with him, the kid just collapsed.
He brought him in.
He's up there now.
- How's he doing?
- He's all right.
Doc says a little sleep,
a few square meals,
he'll be all right.
Hey, you're
working sort of late,
- ain't you, little brother?
- Well, I got
a hundred and one
things to take care of
if I'm gonna leave for
Placerville in the morning.
- Hi, Joe.
- Hey, Pa.
- Everything all right?
- Yeah.
Hoss was just telling me
about that boy you found.
Oh, yeah. Well, he'll be fine.
He's just, uh, tired
and hungry, you know?
Uh, you got everything
taken care of?
Yeah, got it right here.
Got the power of
attorney from Sam Bates
and the letter from Jim Powers.
Yeah, good. Oh, listen, Joe,
be careful of Slim Hackett.
Don't let him skin
you on those horses.
He's been trying to
skin me for 20 years.
Don't you worry, Pa. I won't
let Slim take advantage of me.
- You taught me right.
- (laughs)
If I'm gonna leave bright
and early in the morning,
I'd better get some sleep.
Yeah, as a matter
of fact, little brother,
you ought to get all
the sleep you can,
because, uh, you
want to look your best
for all them pretty gals you're
gonna meet in Placerville.
Now, Hoss, how can
you say a thing like that?
You know the only
thing on my mind is work.
- Sure.
- Yeah, well, you just make sure
that most of your
mind is on work.
Oh, it-it will be,
Pa, it will be.
Most of it.
Good night.
(chuckles)
(coughing)
(knocking)
Morning.
Feel any better?
I feel all right.
Good, good.
Mind if I sit down?
(sighs)
Enjoy your breakfast?
You know, uh, I
told you my name,
but I guess I missed
hearing yours.
Billy.
Billy?
Well, nice to know you, Billy.
Billy what?
Billy... Billy Wilcox.
Where you from, Billy?
Arizona.
Hey, what did you
do with my clothes?
(chuckles) Oh, I'm
afraid your clothes
sort of fell apart just as
soon as they hit the water.
You know, clothes got to
be washed now and then.
Look, I ain't had much time
for that kind of thing lately.
Yeah, well, never mind.
We, we rounded
you up another outfit.
I told you I don't
want no charity.
I'll pay you.
You got any money, son?
No, not right now.
(sighs)
You know, a young
fellow like yourself
doesn't usually
get into this, uh,
this kind of condition.
You running away from something?
I ain't running.
I'm just passing through here.
Ah, itchy feet, huh?
That's right.
Your feet so itchy, Billy,
that, uh, you haven't got time
to stop and sleep?
Bathe or wash your clothes?
Well...
You, uh, you want to talk,
any time, be glad
to hear your story.
Mr. Cartwright?
I ain't ungrateful
for what you done.
About those
clothes, I'll pay you.
I'll work it out
or, or I'll move on
and, uh, send you the
money when I get some work.
If you really want
a job, you got one.
But first you got to rest
for a couple of
two or three days
and get yourself
some good food in you.
Well, tha-thank you, thank you.
Hoss, we, uh,
just hired ourselves a new hand.
Well, good, we're
gonna need one.
Hi.
My name's Hoss.
Hoss Cartwright.
(coughing)
My name's Billy.
Happy to meet you, Billy.
My little brother being
gone, I'm gonna need a hand.
Well, don't you worry.
I can do my share.
Yeah, I'll bet you can, too.
Look here, I brung
you some clothes.
If you need anything else,
just give a yell, you hear.
Hey, Billy, you're weaker
than I thought you was.
I figured you'd have this wagon
loaded by the time I got back.
You know, Hoss,
I was just thinking
that I'm feeling strong enough
that I could have gone
and got the mail for you.
Well, I figured no more
breakfast than you ate,
you wouldn't have enough energy
to get all the way
to the post office.
Let's go home. Come on.
Without getting
something to eat first?
Yeah, Billy, if
you'd like. Sure.
Well, Hoss, I think I can
hold out till we get back.
Come on.
Giddap.
(Ben speaking indistinctly,
horses whinnying)
Very good, Bill.
Listen, there's a
bunch of stragglers...
Bunch of strays up at
the, uh, north pasture.
Bring them down.
Hey.
Whoa.
Well, that was a
pretty quick trip.
Yeah, we had to run the
horses pretty near all the way.
- Really?
- Hoss was getting hungry.
- (chuckles)
- Dad-burnit, that ain't so.
You're getting to sound
more like my little brother
all the time.
- Here's the mail, Pa.
- Good.
(chuckles)
Here, hold this.
That, uh, Billy's a
pretty good worker.
Yeah, I reckon. He's
a strange boy, though.
The moment you think you're
getting a little close to him,
he sort of backs off.
Do you figure on
keeping him around?
Yeah, I thought I would. Why?
Well, the bunkhouse is full,
and I thought maybe
we'd move him out there
as soon as we
get a place for him.
Yeah, well, I... (clears throat)
Might be an idea to
let him stay where he is.
Keep him around the family.
I don't think he's had
too much of a family life.
I think you're right.
- He really opened up to me today.
- Oh, yeah?
I think he needed
a little friendship
as much as he needed food.
That was just what was
going through my mind.
Well, I'll... Tom Yardley.
- Really?
- (laughs) Yes, well...
Hey, he and Jennifer
are coming to Virginia City.
- Well, hot dog.
- Yeah, th-the tenth.
- Hey, that's tomorrow, isn't it?
- That's right.
From Tucson.
When does the stage
get in from Tucson?
Noon, I think. Yeah.
By golly.
- (laughter)
- Hey, dad... hey,
I just thought of something.
Little Joe is sure
gonna be disappointed
he's gonna miss Jennifer.
Well, I don't know if he's
gonna be disappointed.
(mumbles) This is what Tom says.
"We're planning to buy
some land around Virginia City
and settle down
around your parts."
Hey, wouldn't that be something?
- BEN: Oh... (chuckles)
- After all these years,
you two end up being neighbors.
(chuckling): That'd
be wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
You know what? We're
going into town tomorrow,
we're gonna surprise them, we're
gonna have a little celebration.
Fine, fine.
- BEN: Yeah?
- Yeah.
Hey, listen, what about, uh...
what about taking Billy in?
He might enjoy that.
Yeah, sure. Why not?
- Get the other things, yeah?
- Yes, sir.
Hey, Billy.
We're in for a real treat.
One of Pa's dearest old
friends is coming down tomorrow,
and you and me and Pa
are gonna go and meet him.
He's got the best-looking
daughter you ever seen.
I sure hope that
stage is on time.
Be nice to see old Tom Yardley.
Yeah, sure is gonna
be nice to see him.
And I'll tell you, I ain't
gonna be altogether unhappy
about seeing that
daughter Jennifer of his.
(chuckling): Yes.
- Hey.
- Hey, Ben.
- Tom, you son of a gun!
- How are you?!
- It's good to see you.
- It's good to see you, too.
You're a sight for sore eyes.
- Hiya, Hoss.
- Hi, Mr. Yardley.
- How are you?
- Hey, where's Little Joe?
Oh, he had to go to
Placerville, he'll be back.
Where's that
little girl of yours?
Here I am, Uncle Ben.
BEN: Well...
Oh, my goodness.
It's good to see you.
You've got yourself
a young lady here.
Jennifer, if Joseph was here,
I'd insist on a wedding
ceremony being performed
at this very moment.
Oh, Uncle Ben, quit it.
You and Dad have been
trying to arrange a marriage
- since before I was born.
- That's right.
And if the truth were
known, we hate each other.
No, you don't.
Hoss.
H-Hi, Jennifer.
You know, it could be you
picked the wrong son for me.
That's right, dad-burn...
Hey, Billy, come here a minute.
Billy Wilcox, this
is Mr. Yardley.
Hello, Billy.
And this is his
daughter, Jennifer.
Hello, Billy.
Oh, uh, Ben, uh...
I'd like you to meet Sam Denton.
He's been our
traveling companion
all the way from Tucson.
This is the Ben Cartwright
I've been telling you about.
Mr. Denton.
- Mr. Cartwright.
- How are you, sir?
Sam, here, is one of those
famous Texas Rangers.
BEN: Oh, well, pleasure, sir.
I hope, uh, that what brings you
to the jewel of the Comstock
is pleasure, not business.
DENTON: I'm afraid
not, Mr. Cartwright.
I'm here to see your sheriff,
- Roy Coffee.
- Oh.
Roy's an old friend; his office
is just down the street there.
Thank you.
Jennifer.
Bye, Mr. Denton.
- Tom.
- Sam.
Why don't we get
settled into the hotel?
Y-You'll have weeks
to talk to Uncle Ben.
- All right, honey.
- BEN: Now, hold it, wait a minute.
Wait a minute, nobody's
gonna go to any hotel.
You're staying at the
Ponderosa with us.
Hoss, will you load
up the bags, please?
Now, Ben, look...
BEN: Look, it's all settled.
All right, Tom?
Not another word of argument.
Billy.
Billy?
Give Hoss a hand, will you?
In you get.
All right, Billy, hop in.
Pa, I'll stick around here
and take care of everything,
you guys go ahead.
Uh, listen, talk to Ed Bates.
Find out what delivery date he
wants on that timber he ordered.
I sure will.
Have you always
lived here, Billy?
No, ma'am, I'm not
from around here.
And I ain't thinking
on staying too long.
Now, hold on just one second.
What about the time
that you were trying
to impress your girlfriend,
and you backed right
into the horse trough?
I swear to this day,
you pushed me.
I wasn't within 20 feet of you!
(laughing)
You two.
What didn't you get into?
And you have the
nerve to complain
about your own children.
Well, I'll tell you, Ben,
you always did have it easy.
Raising three
boys, nothing to it.
- But raising a girl alone...
- Now, hold on there.
What makes you think that
raising three boys is so easy?
HOSS: Ah, now, come on, Pa.
We never did
give you no trouble.
Let them complain, Hoss.
That's what fathers are for.
That's right.
Isn't that right, Billy?
Uh, well, I don't... I
don't rightly know, ma'am.
Well, you can take my word
for it, it's right about these two.
You see that, Ben?
No respect for her elders.
I swear if I don't
get her married off...
You eat.
You know what doctor say.
You need fat on your bone.
Oh, h-have you been ill?
No, ma'am.
It wasn't nothing.
Billy Wilcox, if you don't
stop calling me "ma'am,"
between that and my father
trying to get me married off,
I'm beginning to feel
like a-an old maid.
You ain't never gonna be
an old maid, Miss Jennifer.
What a nice thing to say.
Jennifer, you be
careful of that Billy.
I think he just might
be a ladies' man.
Now, Billy, don't let
him embarrass you.
Tom, you, uh, really
thinking of buying
a piece of property around here?
Got an appointment in
town first thing in the morning.
Good, good, that'll give
us some time to play
a little bit of chess,
won't it? Hop Sing?
How about bringing
out the chessboard?
Already set up, Mr. Cartwright.
Well, now.
Do I, uh, sense a challenge?
Well, unless you're
afraid to meet it.
Afraid?
Why, I beat you three straight
the last time we were together.
Tom, it seems to me it was
just about the other way around.
Well, that's the end
of this evening, Hoss.
They'll be at it until
4:00 in the morning.
The last time they played,
they played all day and all
night and all the next day.
And they're still arguing
who won that one.
(chuckling): Yeah.
Do you play chess, Billy?
No, ma'am.
(sighs)
Why don't you just
call me Jennifer?
All right... Jennifer.
That's better.
If you two will excuse me,
I think I'll go to my room.
Yes, ma'am.
Good night, Jennifer.
Good night, Hoss.
Good night, Billy.
Good night.
Night, Dad.
Good night.
Night, Uncle Ben.
Good night.
What'd I tell you, Billy?
Ain't she something?
She's the nicest
girl I ever met.
Well, you and me had
better get some shut-eye.
We got a rough day tomorrow.
Yeah, well, Hoss, you go on.
I'm gonna take a little walk.
Good night.
Good night, Mr. Yardley, Pa.
HOSS: Put it there with
the rest of the stuff, Bill.
So, you stayed up half the
night looking at the stars, huh?
Yeah, I just wasn't
sleepy, Hoss.
Well, I must say you've done
a pretty fair day's
work already today.
I'll tell you what, Billy.
You go on back to the house
and get the chores started,
and I'll finish up here.
Okay, whatever you say.
JENNIFER: Yoo-hoo, Hoss, Billy!
Hi, Jennifer.
Hi, Hoss, hi, Billy.
I'm ready to go for
that ride you promised.
Doggone it, Jennifer.
I-I got all tied up here,
and it's gonna take me
longer than I figured on.
Oh, but, Hoss, you promised.
I wanted to ride
over by the pond.
I haven't been there in so long.
Well, I-I know you
was counting on it...
Say, Hoss, I'm going
back that way anyhow.
Why don't I ride along with her?
Good idea.
Would you, Billy?
Well, sure, if it's
okay with Hoss.
Oh, sure, go right ahead.
Oh, thanks, Hoss.
I'll see you back at
the house after a while.
Have a good time!
I love this country, Billy.
I sure appreciate
your riding with me.
My pleasure.
Have you ever been to the pond?
No, I haven't.
Come on, I'll race you.
You're on.
Giddap.
You win, you win.
Oh, this is the spot
I wanted to see.
Oh, Billy, isn't it beautiful?
Don't you just love it?
Sure do, Jennifer.
Oh, I'd like to have a
place like this myself
and just settle down,
never move away from it.
Hmm, I know the feeling.
Father and I have
traveled so much.
So have I.
You know,
Father thinks of
me as a little girl.
But people our
age, like you and me,
we have our dreams.
Don't you think so, Billy?
Yeah.
Sure, we've got our
dreams, Jennifer.
Just seems like sometimes
they ain't ever gonna come true.
What's your dream, Billy?
Oh, a home, I think.
Doesn't have to
be much, of course,
just a little piece of land
with a-a house on a knoll.
That ain't much
of a dream, is it?
Oh, it's a good dream, Billy.
And it will come true.
Oh, what's the matter?
Did I say something wrong?
No.
No, you could never
say nothing wrong.
Not to me.
It's that some dreams
never come true.
Well, Hoss.
Howdy, Mr. Denton, how are you?
Fine.
Here, I'll take your horse.
Your father home?
Yes, sir, he's in the house.
- Thank you.
- Yes, sir.
Hey, Billy, Jennifer.
How was the pond?
Just great, Hoss.
Hello, Mr. Denton!
Hey, uh, Billy, you
and me got work to do.
Yeah.
Jennifer, how'd you like
to see our new colts?
Sure would.
We got a barn full of 'em.
(knocking on door)
Who is it?!
(knocking on door)
Yes?
Mr. Cartwright.
Oh, Mr. Denton, come in.
- Thank you.
- Didn't expect to see you.
Well, what are you
doing in these parts?
Well, just checking out
this part of the country.
Uh-huh.
Sheriff Coffee told
me, if I got out this way,
I should drop in and say hello.
Well, I'm glad you did.
I surely am.
Uh, just having some
coffee, will you join me?
Thank you.
Well, how do you like it, black?
- Black's fine.
- Good.
Nice place you've got here.
Thank you.
Mr. Denton, you,
uh, getting a line
on that, uh, man
you've been trailing?
Well, that's hard to say.
I followed him all the
way from San Antone.
Uh-huh.
Through the Arizona Territory.
That's when I decided
to take the stage
and come on down here.
He might head this way.
Of course, with all that silver
being mined around these parts,
drifters move in and out
of Virginia City very fast.
But the one I'm looking
for is a young fella
about the same age and size
as that young Billy
Wilcox out there
talking to your boy Hoss.
That so?
Well, Sheriff Coffee tells me
you got a real fine
family, Mr. Cartwright.
He says you... (chuckles)
All my life I wanted
to have a son,
more than anything else.
I never was able to have one.
He tells me you've
got three fine boys.
You're a pretty lucky man.
Yes, I've always considered
myself very fortunate.
I like to see
that sort of thing,
family, close-knit,
everybody caring for each other.
That's unlike the background
of the young fellow
that I've been trailing,
this Aaron Mendoza.
Oh, yes.
Uh, what did this
young fellow do?
He killed a man down in Texas.
Oh, did he?
Different background than...
what your boys
had, Mr. Cartwright.
This young fella, he, uh,
he lost his family in an
Indian raid on a wagon train.
There was only two survivors,
an old man and the kid.
That old man walked
into town carrying that kid,
both of them more
dead than alive.
The next day, the old man
died, and that left the kid alone.
(grunts)
And, uh, how'd the
little fellow get on?
Well, there was this gal,
worked in a local saloon.
She kind of took
a liking to the kid.
She took him under her wing,
mothered him, you
might say, and...
she had this little old shack
out on the edge of town.
Wasn't much, but
she gave that boy
a roof over his head.
But he had it tough,
doing odd jobs, stable chores,
washing the floor.
But she did one
decent thing for him.
She gave him his name, Mendoza.
That was her name.
And he just thought the
sun rose and set on her.
How'd it happen
he killed this man?
One night,
oh, better than
a year ago it was,
that kid... came to the
saloon to walk home
with Angel Mendoza when
she, um, finished work.
She never liked him
to come into the saloon.
Hi.
Aaron, go on home, will you?
You know I don't
like you in here.
No, I think I'd rather hang
around and wait for you.
Hey, Angel, where
are those drinks?
I want you to go home.
Angel, the drinks.
Gosh, I'm not gonna wait
around here all day long for them.
- It's about time.
- All right.
Here. Now drink up
and get out of here.
(groans)
What's the matter, Angel,
you worried about your son?
That is what they
call him, ain't it?
Aaron, he's drunk.
Now do as I asked and go home.
Yeah, stray, go on
home; your mother's busy.
(groans)
Barclay, I think
you'd better shut up.
Oh, you're a big man.
You want to feel important.
Come on over here
and wipe that up.
Jack, you're drunk.
Now take your friends
and get out of here.
Come on, now. You
know what she wants.
She wants you to take your
friends and get out of here.
You talk like that,
and you'd better start
drawing on me, stray.
Aaron.
- Aaron...
- (gunshot)
Drop it, kid.
Leave it to the law.
Marshal, he shot her.
It was an accident, Marshal.
If you shoot him, you'll hang.
(sighs) Of course
there was a trial.
There was a trial.
The jury acquitted him.
Saloon gals come
and go, Mr. Cartwright.
Nobody cares very much
what happens to them,
and it wasn't long
before everybody forgot it.
Everybody except the kid.
And he didn't forget.
I didn't see this.
The report was
made up much later,
based on accounts that
came from quite a few sources.
That kid stayed out of
sight for a while after that.
People figured
that he'd lit out.
Hmm.
The word around town was
that the Barclays
had threatened him,
told him to get out of town.
But he didn't get out of town?
That's right, he didn't leave.
And he and Jack Barclay tangled.
The shooting took place
right there in the saloon
where Angel Mendoza
had been working.
And according to
Barclay's brother,
the kid came in
and just opened fire.
Was there anybody else there?
Yeah, three or four.
They were Barclay's men.
They all told the
same story, huh?
Naturally.
Mr. Denton, it might
have happened
in a different way, though.
I mean, couldn't it?
Couldn't it have
been a... a fair fight?
Maybe.
But we can only go on
the findings, Mr. Cartwright.
(sighs)
Mr. Denton,
everything doesn't have
to be black and white.
It is in my business.
There are no grays, no shadows.
I'm not a judge.
My job is just to find
him and bring him in.
Maybe that's one of the reasons
why I'm sick and
tired of the job.
Thanks.
That was mighty fine coffee.
♪♪
Penny for your thoughts.
Did you hear me?
Yeah, I heard.
I just don't think my
thoughts are worth a penny.
You sound like you have
the whole world
on your shoulders.
Well, I didn't mean to.
I-I had a good
time this afternoon.
So did I.
Jennifer, you know,
you're so easy to talk to.
I just wish everybody else was.
They are, if you'll just
give them a chance.
Well, they are to you, yeah.
Billy, you know,
out there by the pond today,
you were telling me
about your dreams.
Hold on to those dreams.
Well, like I said before,
some of them don't come true.
(sighs) If you're going to
be in this kind of a mood
at the party tomorrow
night... Party?
Yes, the party that
Uncle Ben's giving
for Daddy and me tomorrow night.
You're coming, aren't you?
Oh, I don't know.
Well, I do.
You're coming and you're
going to be my escort.
(chuckles) Well, you know,
there's nothing on this earth
that would make me any
prouder than that, Jennifer, but...
Billy, you're coming to
the party, and that settles it.
Agreed?
Yeah, agreed.
Good night, Billy.
Mr. Cartwright, I
got to talk to you.
Good, Billy, I was
hoping you would.
You know, I told you, any
time you're ready to talk,
I was ready to listen.
Huh?
Well, no,
all I wanted to tell
you was that, uh,
after the party, I'm leaving.
Oh.
Any, uh, any particular reason?
Yeah, I think you made
a mistake about me.
Did I? How's that?
Well, Mr. Cartwright,
when you, uh, took me in,
I think you felt sorry for me.
You thought I was
sick of drifting around,
missing meals and all that.
You see, that's
where you were wrong,
'cause I like that kind of life.
I really miss it, and I
want to get back to it.
I see.
You, uh, you really like the...
the life of a drifter, huh?
I mean, you,
you-you-you like to flit around
from one place to another,
from hither to thither to yon,
not doing anything
with your life,
just sort of letting
your life drift away.
You really enjoy that?
That's right.
Hmm.
Billy... what are
you running from?
I ain't running.
I just told you, I'm
drifting through.
I like to see what's on-on
the other side of the hill.
Hmm, yeah, I see.
And how do you,
how do you propose
to, uh, to live
while you're drifting
from one side of
the hill to the other?
Oh, somebody
always picks you up,
takes care of you,
like you did me.
That's all it's meant to you?
Yeah, that's all.
(sighs)
Look, uh, Mr. Cartwright,
it's not that, that
I'm ungrateful
for what you've done,
because I am grateful.
I'm sorry, but it's
got to be this way.
You're sorry?
(sighs)
Well, Billy, you just,
uh, keep on running.
(chuckles)
I can't make your
decisions for you.
Good night.
Mr. Cartwright?
No, it wasn't nothing.
Never mind, never mind.
(sighs)
Yeah.
(music playing, laughter)
Oh, them are lovely.
Thank you, Hop Sing.
Sue, come over here a minute.
I want you to meet some people.
Oh, thank you. Tom,
will you have some?
No, thank you.
You, uh, had yourself
a successful day, huh?
Well, I, um... I think
you might say that.
You know a property
called the, uh, Rivers Ranch?
(chuckles) Oh, do I
know that property?
I've had my eye
on it for three years.
Now, don't tell
me that's for sale.
Not now.
I bought it.
You bought the Rivers Ranch?
Why, you old
slick-dealing son of a gun.
- That's wonderful.
- (laughing)
Oh, that's a beautiful
piece of property.
Did you tell Jennifer yet?
Uh, no, I'm, uh, sort of
saving it for a surprise.
Oh, she'll be
surprised, all right.
Well, there's Sam Denton.
HOSS: Come in, Mr. Denton.
Take your hat?
- Thank you.
- Fine, fine.
I, uh, saw Sam in
town this afternoon
and asked him to come
out if he had a chance.
I hope you don't mind.
Well, no, of course not.
Of course I don't mind.
(music continues playing inside)
Billy.
Why aren't you at the party?
I missed you.
Oh, you know, all
those people inside.
They're strangers.
Some of our best friends
were strangers once.
Jennifer, do you know,
I have never met
anybody just like you.
Nothing seems to get you down.
You just take it for granted
that everything in your life
is gonna work out all right.
Don't you, Billy?
I don't know.
I just don't know.
- (guests applauding inside)
- Well, it can be right
if you really want it
a-and you work to make it so.
Well, now, you make
it sound easy, all right,
the way you talk about it.
You sound just
like Mr. Cartwright.
What do you mean?
Nothing.
Boy, I sure like the stars
the way they look tonight.
They're clean.
Pure.
You're like that, Jennifer.
Like the stars.
(sighs)
What's worrying you, Billy?
You know, you're...
you're like two people.
Oh, you're sweet and
kind and... and tender.
And then it's as if you
go into a dark room
and close the door.
Maybe that's what it is.
I'm trying to be two people.
There are no stars
in a dark room, Billy.
I love you, Billy Wilcox.
(door opens)
(guests talking, laughing)
Well, enjoyed the party, Ben.
BEN: Thank you so much.
Billy!
- Sam, good night.
- Thank you, Ben.
- Nice to have you...
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Ben, wonderful party.
- Good night.
- Night.
- All right.
Night night.
- Good night.
- Thank you for such a good night.
- Good night.
- Good-bye.
- (laughter)
- Good night.
- This was a great idea.
- Oh, was it.
(laughter)
(Ben exhales)
Well, I think it was
a good shindig.
- Oh, it was, it was.
- A great one. Great one.
I'll tell you, it's getting
a little late for me.
I think I'm gonna go
to bed and I'll see you.
Good night. Uh, Hop Sing.
What are we
having for breakfast?
Hop Sing decide when
breakfast time come.
Not before.
Yeah, well, very good.
Good night, Hop Sing.
Good night, gentlemen.
- (Ben chuckles)
- Good night, Mr. Hoss.
See you early tomorrow morning.
Tom, how about relaxing
over a cup of coffee?
Do you know, I'm still
too excited to relax?
I think I'll go outside
and find Jennifer
and tell her about the ranch.
She's going to be a very
happy little girl when you tell her.
(both chuckle)
Jennifer.
Jen?
Jen, what's the matter, baby?
Nothing's the matter.
And I'm not a baby!
Jennifer?
Jennifer?
(door closes)
Tom, what was that all about?
I'd be the last to know.
I told you, be thankful
you've got boys.
♪♪
Billy?
Don't call me Billy.
What's the matter, son?
I just found out you
can't be two people.
Nobody can.
You know what she said to me?
She said, "I love
you, Billy Wilcox."
And I made a lie out of it,
'cause I'm not Billy Wilcox!
My name is Aaron Mendoza.
Do you know what you're saying?
I know!
I know and I want you
to hear the rest of it.
I killed a man... in Texas.
That's right, I killed a man!
And I was running...
I was running when you
found me, 'cause I was scared.
Tell me about it, Aaron.
His name was Barclay.
He killed a woman.
A woman who was
like a mother to me.
He killed her, but the
jury turned him loose.
And then he told
me to get out of town.
Well, I didn't want
to leave that town,
'cause that was a home
to me, Mr. Cartwright.
It's the only one I ever knew.
I... I went to the saloon
and I tried to
explain that to him.
But he wouldn't listen.
He started cussing me out.
Next thing I knew,
he was shooting.
I was scared, I shot back.
Then he was lying there dead.
And I ran.
Sure wish you hadn't run.
That was... self-defense.
I ran because nobody was
going to believe me in that town.
Nobody's going to believe
me in Jack Barclay's town.
Aaron, I believe you.
What am I gonna do?
What do you think
you ought to do?
I know what I ought to do.
I ought to go back
there and face up to it.
I would, if anybody'd
believe me.
I got to go back, don't I?
It may not be so bad, Aaron.
Mr. Denton.
There's been a lot of changes
made in your hometown.
The Barclays
aren't there anymore
and there's a judge who
isn't bought and paid for.
All right.
I'll go back.
Well, there's no hurry.
The stage doesn't leave
until noon tomorrow.
And I reckon you've
got a few things
you'd like to attend
to around here.
Why don't you just ride in
and meet me in the morning?
Don't worry about
him, Mr. Cartwright,
I'll stand by him.
Thank you.
You meet me at the
sheriff's office, son.
Good night.
And he trusts me?
Yeah, he doesn't
think I'm gonna run?
No.
No, neither do I.
I don't think you're
ever gonna run again.
But if you do, you'll
run in the right direction.
You know, Aaron, a
lot of people in this world
you don't have to run away from.
You run to them.
Do you really have to go?
There's some unfinished business
that I've got to take care of.
But you'll be back, won't you?
Sure, Jennifer, I'll be back.
I still got my dream...
That little house on a knoll...
And I want you
to help me find it.
Oh, I will.
I promise you I will.
♪♪
They do grow up,
Ben, don't they?
Hmm.
Right in front of your eyes.
Yeah, they sure do.
Hoss, we got some work to do.
We got to help our new
neighbors build a ranch.
ANNOUNCER: This has
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of the NBC Television Network.