Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 8, Episode 27 - The Deed and the Dilemma - full transcript

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I want to know one thing.

- Everybody like lasagna? Eh?
- Oh, yeah. -Oh.

I make, eh?

Regina, how you
say in English "pasta"?

Pasta fatta in casa. I make, eh?

That's great.

Please, I like to say
something about the water,

because, uh, nobody
think that Giorgio Rossi,

he can bring the
water down the hill.



- Fresca e pura.
- Sì.

But, please, Marie,
talk American, huh?

- Oh.
- Fresca e pura.

- That mean "fresh and pure."
- Oh, thank you.

Is no black alkali.

Because Giorgio Rossi, he
learn how to filter the water

in Italy, you see?

If the water run
through the gypsum

into the cistern, and it
come down like, uh...

un bacio di un angelo.

That's "kiss," Papa.

Isn't that what I say?

It's a kiss, a kiss
from an angel, no? Eh.

Si.



But Mr. Ben Cartwright

is the only one have faith

in Giorgio Rossi. I salute
you, Mr. Ben Cartwright.

And I salute you,
Mr. Little Joe.

And you, Mr. Hosses.

Mr. Hosses.

That's great.

Boys.

And now we'd like to salute

our new neighbors,
the Rossi family.

- Grazie.
- Grazie.

Lorenzo, now is the
time to go up the hill now,

make the water come down, no?

Ah, si, Papa.

Now... Mr. Rossi,

you, uh, proved to me that
you're a man of your word

and keep a promise.

I'd like to prove to you
that I'm a man of my word,

keep my promise.

I have here in my
hand a grant deed,

which means that
you own these 80 acres

lock, stock, and barrel.

It's a genuine United
States land grant.

Oh. Oh.

- Bello, Papa.
- It's beautiful.

Look.

- Ah. Thank you.
- Ah.

I drink to you again.

Now we eat, eh?

I'm gonna show you now
the water gonna come down!

How you like, huh?
Is beautiful, no?

I get 'em from
the schoolteacher.

Lorenzo!

Come on, I'm gonna
show you the water. Come.

Hey, everybody! Come over here!

Come on! I'm gonna show you!

- Hey!
- Yippee!

- Beautiful!
- Yay!

Hey.

Comes all the way down here...

W...

Hey.

Lorenzo!

Hey!

I tell that boy once, I
tell him a hundred times,

let the water go
when I wave the flag!

Hey, please, hold.

Sure nothing coming down.

Let's go have a look.

Papa, I went down there.

I turned on the water.
The water stopped.

So I come up here
and I find them.

Oh.

You're trespassing
on my property, mister.

You'd better get
back on that horse.

Maybe is your property, but
what for you stop my water?

Joseph.

Now, the next one's just
gonna be about belt buckle-high.

They shoot at me.

I'm gonna kill them!

All right, all right,
Mr. Cartwright. I calm, I calm.

All right, Mr. Gurney,
what's-what's all this about?

Just protecting what's mine.

I'm within my rights.

Rights? I know my rights.

This is democracy,
no? I'm American citizen.

You know what is a democracy?

Dêmos. That's a Greek word

what mean "people."

Krátos. That's
also a Greek word.

That means "rule."

Democracy, rule of the people.

A people is a crowd.

Giorgio Rossi, I'm
one of the crowd.

Well, Georgie, just what are
you, a Greek or an I-talian?

I told you, American citizen.

But who is this man

what shoot at your neighbors?

The name is Jim Blake.

My cousin and my foreman.

Let him have the water,
Pa. It's no good for us.

It's full of alkali, and
the cattle won't touch it.

How many times
have I told you, Sandy?

Don't get free with what's mine.

The boy's right. You
can't use all this water.

The water flows
through my property.

I can take what I need,

and it happens I need it all.

If Mr. Rossi, uh,

wants to put some
cash on the line,

I'd be willing to
lease him some.

"Lease"? What is this "lease"?

I'll rent you all the water
you need for $20 a month.

God put the water
here for everybody.

I'm not gonna talk to
you no more, Mr. Gurney.

I'm gonna talk to God!

You'd better get him out
of here, Mr. Cartwright.

Maybe I don't want to go, huh?

Maybe I'm gonna
stay, I'm gonna kill you

and your cousin foreman.

Want to shoot at
your neighbors, huh?!

Come on, Giorgio. Come on.

- As soon as I find out if it's illegal.
- Come on.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Rossi.

I must admit I like your
wine better than your coffee.

Signor Cartwright,

- some more wine?
- Yes.

Thank you.

Prego.

Oh, it's a good wine.

When this is gone,
there's no more.

Unless I can get more water.

You know, Ben, I no
keep my promise to you.

You no get water like I say.

And... the vines,

they gonna burn up in the sun.

The grapes... eh.

I sorry.

Uh, look, George,

you, uh... you
kept your bargain.

You brought the pure water
down, just as you said you would.

No. It's only drop in a bucket.

This is no bargain.

Please, Ben, you take it.

Giorgio, will you please
take this and keep it.

Now, you kept your bargain.

Now, you're right,
without water,

this land is
absolutely worthless.

W-Worthless? Why
do you say "worthless"?

I said "worthless." It's not
worth anything without water.

My land is no worthless!

That's right.

Your land.

Now let's not have any
more argument about it.

You're pretty tricky, you know?

Giorgio, - I've been thinking.
- Hmm.

I believe that you should
sign that lease with Gurney

and pay him the
$20 a month until...

You want me to pay Gurney
for what he's steal from me?

No. Is not the American way.

I'm American citizen and
don't do things like that.

I'll pay him the $20 a month.

But you sign the
lease, because...

Oh, you no pay.

Y-You gonna give
Giorgio Rossi charity?

Giorgio Rossi take
charity from nobody!

But Giorgio Rossi don't...
will not listen to anybody either!

You know, you are the
most egocentric, obstinate,

pigheaded mule
that I've ever known.

Uh, I know what is a
pig head and a mule.

What else you call me?

Hey.

Maria. Please, Marie.

You gonna defense me,
defense me in American.

Now, what else you say?

Giorgio, if you'll only be
quiet and listen to the whole...

I listen no more!

Eh! No the gun, please!

Who's gonna shoot?!

I'm just gonna get a dictionary!
I run out of American words!

Well, then you might
look up the word "riparian."

R-I-P-A-R-I-A-N,
Mr. Rossi. "Riparian."

Why are you doing it, Pa?

I mean, why back up a lot
of water that we can't use?

I mean, why not
open that headgate,

let the Rossis have it?

Your pa's gonna
hold on to what's his.

Jim's right, Sandy. You
keep giving things away,

pretty soon you
got nothing left.

But, Pa, it's no good to us.

Let it run through
Mr. Rossi's purifying system.

He could use it
to grow his grapes.

Oh, look, Pa, he sweat for
months building that system.

- Your pa sweat quite a bit, too.
- I wasn't talking to you!

I was talking to my pa!

Yeah, and a lot louder than
you would if you were mine.

He's right, Sandy.
There's no cause to yell.

Eh, it's all right, Cass.

He just hasn't lived long
enough to realize a man's got

to make a dollar any way he can.

Well, I'm heading for the
bunkhouse. Good night, Cass.

Good night, Jim.

Ever since he rode in
here, he's always right.

I'm always wrong.

Not always. But he
was right when he said

that Rossi isn't the
only one who sweat.

I worked long and
hard for this land.

Whatever's on it, the
good and the bad, is mine.

Someday it'll be yours.

And you have to
fight for what you want,

and you have to
fight to hang on to it.

Isn't that the rest
of that speech, Pa?

Yes. I'm beginning
to think Jim is right.

I've been too easy on you.

To get along in this world,
you've got to be tough.

I do my work. I do
everything you tell me.

- What more do you want?
- The only thing I ever wanted,

for you to shape up into a man.

No, Pa, not just a man.

You want me to be like you!

You want me to act
like you, think like you!

If I did, I've been
disappointed.

Now, tomorrow I want
you to go into town...

Pa, you're not listening to me!

I will when you
start making sense.

No, Pa! You talk to Jim
Blake, but you don't talk to me!

You don't hear anything I say!

You just make speeches,
and I have to listen!

Eh.

Get out of my way.

When I'm good and ready, boy.

I don't take kindly
to brats yelling at me,

so I'm telling you,
don't do it again.

Well, then don't butt in
when I'm talking to my pa.

You're the one
that's butting in,

trying to tell your pa and
me how to run this ranch.

Now, I'm foreman here...
You just do the chores.

I've heard some of the things

you've been saying
to your pa about me.

So I'm telling you,
you just keep it up

and you and me are gonna have
a little talk out behind the barn.

What you come around
here for, to spy, ah?

No, no, no, Mr. Rossi.
Honestly, I wasn't spying.

Then what you come
around for, just to look around?

No, I've just never
been down here before.

- I just thought I'd...
- You just come see

what you can find out.

No, I just wanted to tell you

that I was very
sorry about the water.

Oh. You sorry.

Then why you no tell your papa?

I did, believe me, Mr. Rossi,
but... it didn't do any good.

Maybe I'd better just
get back on home.

No, j-just a minute. Wait.

Just a minute. You
know, I like you.

I think maybe I
believe you a little bit.

Come on, you meet my family.

Thank you, Mr. Rossi.

Sure.

Hey, Lorenzo!

Come on, take care his horse.

You never meet any
Italian Yankees before, ah?

- He's my son, Lorenzo.
- Hi.

Come.

This my daughter
Regina, my wife Marie.

- How do you do?
- Let me take you hat.

- Thank you.
- Come on, take off your coat.

Sit down and make
yourself homely.

Oh, you skinny.

Hey, you got to have
something to eat. Maria.

My wife, she the best
cook in the whole world.

Wait till you taste
that. Mmm, delicious!

- Hey, have some of these peppers.
- Thank you.

Hey, we give him some wine.

- There's no other cask.
- Si. Oh, here.

Wait till you taste my wine.

Want some of this?

Mmm!

This is very good.

What is it?

Oh, is, uh... Um, eggplant.

Si, eggplant.

Oh. Do you have any, uh, seeds?

Si, is plenty of seeds inside...
You eat together with the melan.

Oh, no, no, I don't mean...
I mean seeds to plant.

Oh, plant.

Is nice you like, uh,
plant things, you know?

Yes, I do. But my
pa thinks it's foolish

to grow anything that
doesn't feed cattle.

Ah, che stupido.

Yes, that's what I think.

No, not you.

Is all right for me.

I'm a stranger... I no know him.

But you, you the son... You
never call you papa stupido.

Maybe is better... because
he don't understand you,

you talk with him.

You make, uh... Uh,
communicate, you know?

You talk with him,
explain yourself.

You see... a farmer
is close to the soil.

He like turn the soil,

make things grow, push them
inside the plant, water them.

Then the plant grow.

Then when the old man is old,

he go back to the soil.

Filosofia.

Smart man, ah?

Yes, he is.

Oh, my George.

Maybe if I told my pa like
that, he might understand.

Si, that's what's important.

You communicate.

You got to remember that.

Yes, I will.

Hey, please, eat! Eat!

I talk too much.

We glad you come. We
hope you have a nice time.

- Oh, thank you, I will.
- You come back.

- Very soon, eh?
- I certainly will.

- Bye-bye.-Arrivederci.
- Arrivederci.-Bye-bye, now.

- Arrivederci.
- Hey, very good!

You learn Italian!

Bye-bye!

He's a nice boy.

- Yeah, ma he has
trouble with his papa.-Si.

Maybe is not so easy
to... communicate, ah?

Oh, is easy. You
just sit down, you talk

and listen and talk and listen,

and pretty soon you
understand each other.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

- Then why you don't try, then?
- Eh?

If this is true, why you
don't try to communicate

with Mr. Gurney and the
man who shoots bullets at you?

Ah, Maria.

You know, that's the way
I'm gonna get the water.

I communicate with Mr. Gurney.

Yeah? And what
if he don't listen?

Then I break his head!

♪♪

Well, Mr. Rossi, how are you?

- Well, howdy, Mr. Cartwright.
- Mr. Rossi, nice to see you.

I have something I
want to show you.

Uh, Maria, she just remind me

that is no polite
to come lunchtime

when people didn't expect you.

Oh, no, don't be silly...
We have plenty of food here.

Of course we're
glad to see you here.

But we anyway bring
enough lunch for everybody.

- Is all right?
- Well, yes, certainly!

Come on down.

Oh, excuse me, I no
say hello to you, Little Joe.

How are you?

- Howdy there, Mr. Hosses!
- Hi, Mr. Rossi.

- Nice to see you again.
- Nice to see you. I'm sure glad

to see you're not still sore at
Pa for calling you pigheaded.

Uh, well, uh, let's-let's,
uh, go inside, Mr. Rossi.

Let's go inside, Mr. Ambassador.

Now, I gonna explain you
about the riparian rights.

- You see, has to do with water.
- Mm.

Riva. That's Italian.

- It means "shore."
- Shore, yes.

- That's what I say, no, shore.
- Mm-hmm.

Ah. Well...

there's one case here...
Uh, Sweeney v. Baxter.

That happened in the
state of Pennsylvania.

Hey. Oh, this one
even more important.

Ha! Pilsudski v. the
State of Massachusetts.

In that one he
win from the state.

That's what lawsuit for.

Yes, but they take time.

It may take weeks, maybe months

before your case
could get scheduled.

Ma I'm a citizen.
Gurney is a citizen.

Pilsudski, he can
beat Massachusetts.

- Why I no can beat Gurney?
- Well, you could in time,

but meanwhile, your
grapevines would die

before your case
would get scheduled.

That's why I tried
to suggest to you

the other day that you
make a deal with Gurney...

- Oh, no deal, no deal! Hey.
- There you go again.

Massachusetts, he no
make a deal with Pilsudski!

I don't know! But if you'd
just listen for a moment.

Now, suppose you make
the deal with Gurney.

Your grapevines would grow.

Your case would get scheduled.

You would win... For sure.

The case, and the
judge would order Gurney

to open up the headgates

and pay you back any
money that you had paid him.

- He pay back the money?
- Yes.

Now, why you no
tell me this before?!

I tried to, but you're
not a very good listener.

Hey, I listen to
you all the time.

Now, look, tomorrow morning,
we'll go over to Gurney,

- we'll make a deal...
- No tomorrow! We go now.

The grapes, the
ground, they thirsty now.

We go right now! You
lend me a horse, we ride.

W-Wait a minute, it would be
late by the time we get there.

We got to strike
while the irons is hots.

Yeah, we got to strike
while the irons is hots.

Hmm.

I'll saddle the horses.

Maria... Is no time to eat now.

I have to go see Mr. Gurney.

Pack up everything.

We have a big celebration
our place tonight.

The food, the vino.

Hello, Sandy.

Mr. Cartwright. Mr. Rossi.

Pa's in the house. Here,
let me, uh, take your horses.

- Oh, thank you.
- Oh, I, uh,

sent for some of those
eggplant seeds, Mr. Rossi.

Oh, good, good.

You just remember
what I told you, now.

You push 'em
a little bit in sun,

a little bit in shade,

so you get, uh, you
know, even measurements.

Uh, Sandy, Mr. Rossi tells me

you've got the makings
of a real good farmer.

Ooh, not so loud,
Mr. Cartwright.

Pa, he don't hold with farming.

Why don't you go
right on in. I've, uh...

I've got some
chores out in the barn.

- Ah. Thank you, Sandy.
- We see you later, huh?

- Uh, George.
- Hmm?

Don't lose your temper.

Me?

How can I lose
what I no got, huh?

Come in.

- Mr. Cartwright.
- Yes.

I didn't expect
you till tomorrow.

Oh, the sooner the better. I...

Uh, I forgot to tell you I
bumped into Mr. Gurney, and...

Sit down. Be comfortable.

Thank you.

Cass, uh,

Mr. Rossi has come
here to tell you something.

Oh?

- Giorgio.
- Hmm?

Oh. Mi scusi.

Now, I-I just want
you know I come here

to sign your lease,

you know, for the
water, $20 a month.

Oh.

Well, Blake and I

have been doing
a little talking.

The way I see it now,

a lease isn't the answer.

And a $20 a month water lease

just don't hardly seem enough.

- Now...
- Oh, please.

Please, you tell me

how much you think is enough.

Before I open that headgate,

I want a signed
contract saying I get half

of every dollar you get from
your grapes and your wine.

- Half? -Half?
- Half.

What you bring me up here
for, them pick my pocket, huh?!

They take the bread
from my family's mouth!

Giorgio.

Giorgio, Giorgio, remember,
don't lose your temper.

Now, Mr. Gurney,

you said that you were
willing to listen to reason.

Half is reasonable.

No!

Pilsudski, he's no pay off.

Sweeney, he's no pay off.

You no know the law!

The law says you
got shore rights.

You no can stop the
water. You can use 'em!

That's right.

Who's this Pilsudski,
this Sweeney?

- You no know Pilsudski and Sweeney?
- No.

You no know the law! What
kind American citizen you are

you no know Pilsudski
and Sweeney?!

I gonna take you to court.

I gonna take you
to circuit court.

I take you appellate court.

I gonna take you
to Supreme Court!

Try that! Your grapes
will die, and you'll starve.

Hold it just one moment. Please.

Look, gentlemen, I thought
we were gonna get together

and discuss this peacefully
and come to some kind

- of reasonable conclusion.
- No. I no talk no more to you.

I no talk no more to him.

I talk to Pilsudski and Sweeney!

Fine, you go right ahead and
talk to Pilsudski and Sweeney

and anybody else
you want to talk to,

in or out of court, as
far as I'm concerned.

You finish?

Yes, I'm finished! I'm through!

Good!

Then, please, you take your
nose outside my business!

Oh, one more thing.

Thank you too much.

Oh, excuse me.

I forget you.

This one's pretty good.

- Yeah? -Yeah.
- Drink that, Joe.

Mmm! That smells
great. What is that stuff?

"stuff"?

Joe, you're ignorant.
That's-That's ravioli.

Aha, the Italian honrario.

Yeah.

Hey, I'm one of those,
too, whatever that is.

Okay.

Mmm, thank you.

Papa...?

Papa!

Papa, we were worried about you.

Papa, what is it?

Hi, Mr. Rossi.

Where's our pa?

He go home.

You know what
they try to do to me?

They try steal half
of everything we own.

You papa, you know
what he tell me?

"Make a deal."

Sure! Mm-hmm.

You papa tell me everything
gonna be all right. Sure.

And then that Gurney try
steal half everything we got!

Oh, it's all right.

Eat, enjoy...

Come on, I think we'd better go.

Yeah. Dad-burnit, I'm starving.

We'll stop over in Virginia
City and get something.

Yeah, but where are we
gonna get ravioli in Virginia City?

That was not a very
nice thing to do, Papa.

Is not your place
to tell me how to act.

You talk always of the
law, of the American way,

and that is good.

But, Papa, America is also a
land where business is business.

Now, Mr. Cartwright
is a success,

and he is also your friend.

Now, if he says make a deal,

it's because he's
trying to help you.

Giorgio, no!

How many years I watch
you brush your hair?

25 years now, eh?

It's a long time, eh?

Si.

It's a long time, Giorgio.

I-I no like what I do tonight.

I lose my temper again.

I insult the Cartwright boys.

I slap Lorenzo.

Lorenzo loves you.

He will forgive you.

Why is he no come back?

Why, he's a man now.

Oh, Giorgio, you...

you speak about
America, about freedom.

In this country, when a
young boy becomes a man,

he should have his own ideas.

If he makes a mistake...

How else can he learn?

You know, I...

I don't think I
tell you enough...

I-I love you.

I-I go wait for Lorenzo, huh?

It wasn't ravioli, but it
was pretty good, eh?

Sure was.

What's going on in there?

Lorenzo.

- That's all right, hold it.
- I ki...

- I'll kill him.
- Lorenzo, take it easy.

Come on, take it easy.

He say my father's a wild man.

Well, if he's not, he's close
to it, and you're not far behind.

You want to fight?

- I fight all of you.
- All right, all right.

- Get him out of here, Joe.
- Come on. Come on...

Sit down there.

All right, take
some deep breaths.

That's it.

Hey, do me a favor. Blow it
out the other way, will you?

What have you been drinking?

Wh... Whiskey.

I get drunk.

You want to know why?

I got a funny feeling
you're gonna tell us.

Because my... my father hit me.

He don't hold his liquor
too good, does he?

Mm-mm.

Figure anybody that could
drink that Italian coffee

could drink just about anything.

Let's get him over to our place.

Yeah, he ain't in no
shape to go home

like this, that's for sure.

Kind of neglecting your chores
around here, ain't you, boy?

You're sure picking
up their ways fast,

singing their songs and all.

Look, I don't care
what you think.

Oh, those big black eyes

are really getting
to you, aren't they?

Huh. Hey, is that why
you came up here?

Figure on maybe you
could open that gate

and let some water
down and make that

little Italian girl
mighty grateful?

Why don't you just shut up, Jim?

You little hothead, I think
I'll just cool you off a bit.

Blake?

Blake?

Jim?

Hey, Sandy, hey,
you see Lorenzo?

Blake.

Ah, sure, now, when
Lorenzo comes home

I give him a nice bowl of
minestrone, some cheese

and some wine, and
then I break his head.

Oh, Mama.

Oh, that son of mine,
out all night, all night.

Bravo, bravo, Mr. Sheriff.

We are very proud
you come to see us.

I wish it was a happy
occasion, Mrs. Rossi.

I'm afraid it isn't.

I guess you know Mr. Gurney.

Oh, yes.

Yes, my husband
tell me all about you.

You are no good.

Maybe you change.

Maybe you come to tell
us you turn on the water?

Oh, well, that's not
quite it, Mrs. Rossi.

We'd like to talk to Giorgio.

Well, he-he's no here now.

Yes, he is, Mama.

Giorgio!

Howdy, Sheriff.

Howdy, Mr. Rossi.

Uh, I no howdy you.

Sheriff, uh, something's wrong?

My son, Lorenzo,
he's no in trouble, eh?

Well, I don't know, Mr. Rossi.
I do have some questions.

Why are you catfooting
around it, Clem?

My guess is he's
the one killed Blake.

Calma, calma.

Mr. Blake is dead?
Somebody kill him?

Is no me.

I no kill nobody.

Where were you
early this morning?

Right here, where he
is every morning, here.

No, no, Maria.

No, you see, last night

I have argument
with my son, Lorenzo.

I lose my temper.
I slap his face.

No... I no can sleep.

I'm ashamed.

So I get up early this morning

and I... I ride.

I just ride around...
No place special.

But, Lorenzo, he's no come back,

so I can tell him I'm sorry.

So you ride around, huh?

Up to the head gate, maybe?

And just maybe you cracked open

Blake's skull and killed him.

No, Marie.

No, Sheriff.

Not me.

Giorgio Rossi's
never killed nobody.

Oh...!

Mr. Rossi, I'm gonna have to

take you in and hold you,
till we can clear this up.

- Ah, si.- - No, Papa.

- Papa, don't go. You don't go.
- Please.

Hey, what... How many times

I tell you about
American justice, eh?

You hear what the sheriff say.

He take me in only until
we get this cleared up.

- Mm.
- The sheriff elected by the people, no?

He is the voice of the people.

All right, Sheriff.

We go.

I just get my horse, eh?

Oh, Regina, quick, quick,

you hitch up the wagon.

Go tell the Cartwrights
that the sheriff arrest Papa.

- You come with me, Mama.
- No, I stay with your father.

Giorgio! Giorgio!

Hello, Regina.

Mr. Cartwright, the
sheriff take Papa to jail.

What for?

Mr. Gurney say Papa...

Lorenzo!

Why, you're here.

Why you not come
home last night?

Regina, last night, uh,
Hoss and, uh, Little...

If you had come home last night,

Papa would not
be in trouble now.

What kind of trouble?

Mr. Gurney say
Papa kill his foreman.

Kill? It's not possible.

Of course, it's not possible.
Your father didn't kill anybody.

It must be some kind
of a misunderstanding.

Come on, I'll round up the
boys, and we'll all go into town.

Whoa.

I told you what would happen

if you let them foreigners
settle on your land.

Well, it happened.

Blake is dead,

and that foreigner killed him.

Haggart, were you there?

Did you see it happen?

I didn't have to see it.

Anybody with good sense
knows you can't trust that foreigner.

What about you, boy?

Are you a killer like your pa?

My papa killed no one.

Oh, you ain't getting...
leave her alone!

You saw him come at me.

I saw you trying
to start a fight.

Now, Haggart, if you'll
get out of the way,

we're going to see the sheriff.

You'll have to
sign this deposition.

Uh-huh.

There.

Now, what's all this
about, Mr. Gurney?

Ask the sheriff.

Clem, where's Mr. Rossi?

In there, talking with his wife.

Now, you know
Mr. Rossi's excitable.

He's an excitable man.
He-he exaggerates.

He talks loud. He doesn't
go around killing people.

You were right there
at my place, Cartwright,

when he threatened
to kill Blake and me.

That's right, I was there,
and I heard the whole thing.

And I don't know how
many times I've said

I'd love to kill whoever it is,

but I don't go
around killing them.

Papa didn't kill Blake.

I did.

Lorenzo, what you're doing is...

It's fine, it's-it's admirable.

He didn't kill him.

He was at the Ponderosa most
of the night and all day today.

Yeah, that leaves Mr. Rossi
as our only suspect.

I'll have to hold him.

Anything else, Sheriff?

No.

That's it.

Please, everything
is going to be all right.

You go home now, huh?

- Are you sure, Giorgio?
- But...

You sure?

How long do you know
me? I ever lie to you, hmm?

Everything going to
be fine and dandy, huh?

But I-I...

You say good-bye
to Lorenzo, Regina...

Oh, si.

Lorenzo, Regina?

- Oh.
- Papa.

Oh, Giorgio, Giorgio!

I'll see that the Rossis
get home all right.

I'll get them started.

All right, folks, let's go.

Everybody go home.

Please.

You take her.

Please, you have to go... Ma...

Well, there you are, boys.

You can see it for yourself.

Mr. Cartwright escorting
them-them-them foreigners home.

Well, maybe we can
help you escort 'em...

out of town on a rail!

There'll be none of that!

You people get on
about your business.

Let them do the same.

Haggart, Mr. Rossi is
in custody on suspicion.

He'll have a
hearing to determine

whether there's enough
evidence to warrant a trial.

We got a better idea.

Like, uh, 18 feet of
rope and a tall tree.

I can't stop you
from talking, Haggart.

I can sure stop you from doing.

There's a lot of us, Sheriff.

That so? Take a look.

All right, come in.

Thank you, Sheriff.

Hello, Sandy.

Is nice you come see me.

I wanted to stop by your place

to see if I could, you
know, do something.

That's nice.

I feel very badly about
your being in here.

Mr. Rossi, maybe
if I could get a gun,

I could get a horse,
and we could...

You want me break the law?

The law won't mean a
thing if they hang you.

They're not gonna
hang me. I am innocent.

But what if I try to
escape, um, I look guilty.

Maybe they shoot me.

I-I know the law.

They protect the
innocent, punish the guilty.

But there's more.

You see, the law also understand

that sometime a man...
He make a mistake.

Maybe have accident.

Mr. Rossi,

please, I have to do
something to help you.

The truth got to help everybody.

Sandy!

You not gonna say good-bye?

Now, Cass, something ugly is
beginning to develop in town,

and you ought to know about it.

People are talking.

Now, first they
talk, then they drink.

Then they talk some more.

And then, they drink some more.

And pretty soon,
they go and get a rope.

Now, you don't want
to be a part of that!

I'm not a part of it!

And there's no doubt in
my mind that he's guilty!

- I don't see how you could be so...
- Mr. Cartwright!

Men like Rossi are
different than we are.

Is it because, uh,

Rossi is "different,"
as you put it,

that there's no doubt in
your mind that he's guilty?

I mean, he's different,
therefore, he is guilty?

If I were to tell 'em
that Blake was drinking,

and that, you know, he
could have taken a fall.

I told you to keep out of this.

He's been mooning
over that Rossi girl.

He'd do or say anything
to save her father's hide.

That's not true!

What is true?

Sandy? Sandy!

What is true?

I mean, could... could it have
happened the way you just said,

that... that Blake was-was
drunk, and he... he fell?

There's a mob ready
to lynch Rossi right now

for killing Blake.

He didn't fall.

You see?

He tripped, and he hit his head.

He was drunk.

He pulled me off my
horse. We were fighting.

Tried to throw me into the lake.

I fell down, and he tripped
over a rock, and he hit his head.

That's it. That's all.

Are you telling the truth?

It's the truth. That's
how it happened.

Why weren't you man
enough to come and tell me?!

Because I haven't been able
to talk to you for a long time, Pa.

If he can't face
up to something,

he always blames me.

No, I don't... I don't think
he's blaming you, Cass.

Sandy...

let's... let's go
to... go to town

and tell the sheriff
about this, huh?

Come on.

I'm not alone now, Sheriff.

Have an interesting
story to tell you.

Just heard it tonight.

Sandy Gurney told it to me.

Jim Blake... His
death was accidental.

Blake was giving
Sandy a beating,

and Sandy was
trying to get away,

and Blake ran after him

and tripped and hit
his head against a rock.

That the way it happened, Sandy?

Yes, sir.

I should have spoke up sooner,

but I was scared.

Mr. Rossi... he
saw me ride away.

He could have told the sheriff.

I don't know why he didn't.

Well, maybe he wanted
you to tell the sheriff yourself.

I don't believe that.

I do.

It doesn't make me proud

that my son was
afraid to talk to me,

but I know he's
telling the truth.

So, you see, Giorgio
Rossi wasn't even there.

And you were all quite ready

to hang an innocent
man, weren't you?

Why don't you go home?

Now, let's get
Giorgio Rossi home.

Lorenzo?

- Here she comes!
- Oh! Oh!

Papa!

Ah! Hey!

Oh!

Hey, this is beautiful, eh?

Look how clean!

Hey, this is beautiful!

Yee-ha!

How you like?

Just beautiful. Pardon me.

Oh, that's great.

Cheers!

This has been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.