Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 8, Episode 29 - A Man Without Land - full transcript

Matt Jeffers is about to lose his land. Back taxes, no water and owes his foreman wages. When his foreman finds water on the land he hatches a scheme to buy the land and stick Little Joe with all the blame.

ANNOUNCER: The following program

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(fanfare plays)

♪♪

(birds chirping)

(squeaking)

All right, Pa, I've
just spent another day

looking for that silver lining
you've been talking about,

and it sure ain't there.

Last ten heads we had
busted through the fence,

and they headed
for the Ponderosa.



Well, I can't say
as I blame 'em.

Feel thirsty enough
to do the same thing.

Well, how long are
you gonna hang onto

this windblown rock pile
you call a ranch? I'm sick of it.

There's 3,600 acres
of land here, son.

It's a big stake, and
it's worth fighting for.

I've been trying to
hold onto it for you.

Your pa's right.

Land's everything, Harry.

You got land,
you got everything.

Oh, yeah, that's sure
everything, ain't it?

Ten years you been
farming on this ranch...

What have you
got to show for it?

You got six months' wages



you ain't never
gonna get, that's what.

- Hold on a minute, Harry!
- Maybe he's right, Ed.

We still got to eat.

We got to water the horses.

You get some barrels,
hitch up a team.

We're headed over
to the Ponderosa.

(big sigh)

The Ponderosa!

It's always the
Ponderosa, ain't it?

The great Cartwrights!

Crawl to 'em on your belly.

Beg 'em for a cup of water.

Now, Harry, you
know that ain't so.

Ben Cartwright's always
been a mighty good friend to us.

Well, there's water in town,
and I'd a whole lot sooner

get it there than go
crawling to the Cartwrights.

Don't pay him no mind, Matt.

He's young.

Always was quick-tempered,
fiery. (chuckles)

More like his mother was
than, than he is like you.

Besides, he just
don't feel toward land

the way you and I do.

(sighs) Yeah.

Sure.

Thank you for
standing by me, Ed.

It's gonna work
out all right, Matt.

No.

No, it won't.

This land's going
to be sold for taxes.

I ain't got the
money to pay 'em.

(theme song playing)

Well...

before we get the water, Harry,
I got a few things to attend to.

Uh, why don't you go over and
get yourself a couple of beers,

cool down a bit.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

Ed, I know I shouldn't
have yelled at Pa that way.

Well, I figure he
understands all right.

Go on, relax.

Yeah.

See you later.

I know everybody's
taxes went up,

but nobody's told me why.

The cost of government
went up, Mrs. Whiteman.

We had to build a new school,

and the salary for the
schoolteacher went up, too.

Well, my salary didn't
go up, young lady.

I just don't know what
the country's coming to

with these high
prices and high taxes.

Well, you can file
a written protest

to the assessor if you
like, Mrs. Whiteman.

A lot of good that'll do.

Well, I may decide just
not to pay those taxes!

WHITEMAN: Ha!

- Millie.
- Hello.

It's been two days, and
it seems like two years.

Ed, don't. Somebody's
liable to come in any minute.

Well, put up your
"out to lunch" sign.

It's that time, ain't it?

(sighs) Yes, it's
about that time.

Millie, you don't know

how I hate being
away from you like this.

Ed, I've tried to
be kind about this,

but you don't want to
listen to what I'm saying.

Oh, now, don't start all
that talk about you and me

being all over with, 'cause
I ain't gonna listen to it.

Well, you'd better listen
to it, because it's so.

Ed, it's not that I've got
anything against you,

- it's just that...
- Just that what?

Ed, look at me.

I'm not getting any younger.

Do you think I like it
here working for wages?

I want things nice, Ed,
can't you understand that?

- I want things nice.
- Things are gonna be nice,

Millie, if you
just listen to me.

Listen to you? I've been
listening to you too long, Ed.

I've been listening
to your promises,

and the next time
I listen to a man,

it's gonna be a man who
can pay his way, not...

some so-called foreman who
isn't even being paid his wages.

I ain't gonna be a foreman
who ain't paid his wages.

That's all over with.

I got a plan, Millie,

a big plan for you and me.

(sighs) Why, another plan.

Well, is it gonna be like
that plan of the silver mine

that was worthless?

Or like that Spanish
don in California

that really turned out
to be a Mexican gambler

- wanted by every lawman...
- No, no, listen to me, Millie!

How would you like to
be the wife of a rancher,

a big rancher, with
3,600 acres all his own?

I'd like it fine.

What 3,600 acres?

The Jeffers' ranch. It's
going for taxes, ain't it?

Mm-hmm. $637.

And I've got it.

I've been scrimping and
saving all my life, and I've got it.

Millie, I'll give it to
you, every cent of it.

And before anybody can
move, you pay off those taxes,

and that ranch will be
ours, yours and mine.

You're never gonna
change, are you, Ed?

Another one of your big deals.

So we're gonna wind up
with the Jeffers' ranch, are we?

Uh-huh.

All 3,600 acres of land
that's run out of water.

Everybody thinks it's run
out of water, but I know better.

What do you mean?

You know that
little green meadow

up on the north end
of the Jeffers' ranch,

everybody thinks it's fed by a
small spring from the Ponderosa?

You remember I took a
trip about eight months ago?

- Yes, I remember.
- Well, I didn't take that trip for fun.

I went to see a geologist.

I told him about
that green meadow,

and he took out a contour
map, and he figured out

where there was a possibility
of an underground river,

and he showed me on
the map where to look for it.

Millie, there's enough water
for a ranch twice the size

of the Jeffers' ranch,

just where that dude
told me to look for it.

Well, how do you know? I
mean, if it's underground.

Well, that's the beauty of it.

I know about it, but
nobody else does.

I drove a thin iron
rod into the ground

just where the
geologist told me to,

and all of a sudden
there was no resistance.

And I put my ear to
that rod, and, Millie...

Millie, I could hear
the water rushing by

like I was standing
on the bank of a river.

I've never breathed a word
of this to a soul till right now.

Millie, I'm gonna be a rich man.

Well, why don't you
stop talking and kiss me?

♪♪

- Hey, Bruno, how you doing?
- Hi, Little Joe. How are you?

Good. How about
getting me a beer, huh?

Fifty dollar bill?

That the smallest
you've got, Little Joe?

Yeah, I'm sorry. I just
did some banking for Pa.

That's the smallest I got.

Well... I'll have to
get some change.

Okay. Sorry about that.

Fifty dollar bill.

Was that for my benefit?

Hey, Harry, sorry, I
didn't see you sitting there.

You saw me.

You just wanted to
make the big entrance.

Come on, finish up.
I'll buy you a drink.

Yeah, you'll buy me another one.

Money buys anything, don't it?

What's the matter?
What's eating on you?

What's eating me?
You, that's what.

You and your
smugness and your land

and your water and your
cattle and your fifty dollar bills.

You've been
throwing it in my face

since the day I was born,

and I hate your guts!

Let's just say you had
too much to drink, Harry,

and we'll forget it, all right?

I'm not asking you to forget
anything, Joe Cartwright.

(grunting)

Come on, Harry, let's forget it.

(panting)

- Forget it and have a drink.
- Hold it, Cartwright.

I'll handle this. Go on.

Thank you, Charlie.

Sorry about the mess, Bruno.

That ought to cover it.

(panting): Joe Cartwright...

so help me, one of
these days I'll kill him.

Come on, let's get that
water and get home.

Give me a hand with the
tables and chairs, will you, fellas?

All right, Bruno.

♪♪

(knocking)

I'll get it, Hop Sing.

Hello, Matt. Come on in.

- Good to see you.
- How are you, Ben?

Hop Sing.

You busy?

(sighs) Yes, I am...
Doing the bookkeeping,

and if there's anything I
can't stand, it's doing books,

and I'm happy as can be
that you came and interrupted.

I can't stand
bookkeeping work, either.

As a matter of fact, the
only... kind of work I can stand

is that can be done
on the back of a horse.

Yeah, me, too. Now, sit
down, have some coffee.

Thank you, but... Thank you, no.

I was going over these
books here, you know.

I just figured something out...

That the price of
everything went up last year.

- The price of oats went up two cents...
- Ben...

I might as well
meet this straight on.

I'm gonna lose the ranch.

Yeah, I figured something
was-was in the wind.

I'll tell you, Matt, I was, uh,

thinking maybe I should
come around to see you, but...

well, a fellow just
can't go barging

into a neighbor's business
without being invited.

Now, what took you so long?

I don't know.

Maybe I... believed in miracles.

Yeah, well, this, uh...

all this book work
has made me thirsty.

I'm gonna have a
brandy. How 'bout you?

Join me?

(chuckles)

You know what
I just figured out?

The last time I had
brandy, daytime,

was the last time
I did the books.

Good thing I'm not a bookkeeper.

Ben... it's kind of hard to ask.

If you let me have $5,000,

I'll pay the back taxes.

The ranch is yours,
lock, stock, and barrel.

(sighs) Well, the...

Matt, that ranch
of yours is worth...

a lot more than $5,000.

A whole lot more.

If I don't pay the taxes,

somebody will just pick
it up for next to nothing.

No.

No, I don't think so.

No, sir, no-nobody's gonna
pick up that ranch of yours

for the tax money.

And I'm not gonna buy it.

All that that ranch needs

is a little money
and a little water.

Just so happens that
I've run out of both.

Just a minute, Matt.

Come on over here.

Now, what's the
best source of water

in this part of the territory?

I don't see what
difference that makes.

The Ponderosa, the
best source of water

in this part of the
territory, right?

Now, how long do you
think it would take to...?

- I don't...
- Wait a minute now.

How long do you
think it would take to...

run an irrigation channel
from the Ponderosa

over to your place?

A week? No more than ten days.

This is kind of
hard to say, Ben,

but you'll understand,
having boys of your own.

(sighs)

With water,

Harry would see a
real working ranch.

And I think he'd turn out
to be just like Little Joe,

which is something
I've wanted all along.

Well, now,

I take that as a
compliment for Little Joe.

And for myself.
But first things first.

Now, we're gonna get you a
loan so you can pay the taxes.

And then we're gonna
collect some people

and the right kind of
equipment, and we're gonna run

that irrigation channel
right over to your place

and get some water for you.

Friend?

Friend.

Your handshake is good,

and I thank you for
knowing that mine is, too.

But I'd like this
all legal and...

you know, papers
drawn up and all.

Well, if you want it legal,
papers drawn up and all,

you just go ahead
and draw up the papers

and send 'em over
to me and I'll sign 'em.

Now drink up.

How does a man say thanks?

Matt, I ought to punch
you right in the nose

for not coming to
me six months ago.

Thank you.

Oh, hello, Mr. Jeffers.
Can I help you?

You sure can, Millie.

I'm missing a foreman.

I figured I might
find him around here.

Oh, Mr. Jeffers, I haven't
seen Ed since noon.

Well, that's quite a while
for you two to be apart.

Would you get out my tax bill?

Do you want to
pay it, Mr. Jeffers?

Oh, you're doggone right I do.

And that ain't the half of it.

Ben Cartwright gonna
run water over to my place.

I'm gonna be able to restock.

Millie, that foreman of mine's

gonna be a mighty
good catch for you yet.

We're gonna have a
small-sized Ponderosa out there.

Well, this is a surprise.

I'm very happy
for you, Mr. Jeffers.

Oh, thank you, Millie.

And you know what?

I'm gonna rebuild
that foreman's shack

into a nice little house,

just in case some couple
might want to live in it.

(door opens)

(door shuts)

(sighs)

(knocking)

Millie, I thought this
day would never end.

Oh, well, neither did I.

Millie, honey,
what's the matter?

(mocking): Millie,
honey, what's the matter?

You know, today for a minute,
you really had me convinced.

Oh, I ought to have better sense

than to ever listen to you
and your harebrained schemes.

- What are you talking about?
- Oh.

You and your big plans for
taking over the Jeffers place.

You and your underground river.

Buying the place
for taxes, you said.

Well, I told you the truth.

It's all set. I got the
money for the taxes.

The taxes have been paid.

What?

Matt Jeffers came in
today with the money.

Where'd he get it?

Ben Cartwright gave it to him.

He didn't.

Oh, he sure did.

Where does that
leave you, Ed? Hmm?

Cartwright's gonna
help him restock

and channel water in for him.

Well, I can't let that happen.

I can't let Ben
Cartwright get in my way.

How do you plan on stopping him?

Cartwright and Jeffers have
been friends for a long, long time.

There must be a way.

If I could... drive a
wedge between 'em...

I'll do it.

I've got to do it.

Oh, well, you've
got to do it, Ed,

because that's the only
way you're going to get me.

Thank you.

You sure work hard long time
on this map, Mr. Cartwright.

How long now before
you come to dinner?

Well, Joe isn't here yet.
The moment he gets here,

we'll sit down
and eat, all right?

Huh.

Well, Pa, we're gonna
have some difficulty

getting all the men
we're gonna need.

I rode all the way down
into Carson Valley, and...

looks like every
man from eight to 80

has gone to Idaho
on that silver strike.

What about Phil Hueing?

He usually knows where
there's some extra men.

Pa, he's the first
man I went to.

But it seems like
every available hand

is over at the Yellow Jack
or some of the other mines...

Oh, yeah. They're doing that
improvement work, aren't they?

- Right.
- (door shuts)

Hey, Pa, how you doing?

- Hoss.
- Howdy, Joe. -Joe.

Here's that payroll money.

Ah.

I wish we could hire ourselves
some hands to help dig

that channel for Matt Jeffers
with this payroll money.

Yeah. What's all the
talk about Matt Jeffers?

Well, you know, his
ranch is dry as a bone.

I promised I'd dig him a channel
to get some water over there,

but we can't find
the men to do it with.

Pa, Mr. Jeffers has
hung on now for this long.

Looks like another
couple of days or so

wouldn't be that important.

Well, it may take more
than a couple of days.

Anyway, it's not only Matt.

He's having some
problems with his boy, too.

Yeah, I had a few problems
with Harry myself today.

I had a run-in with
him in a saloon.

What about?

Well, it wasn't about anything.

He was... feeling kind of low,
had a few drinks too many,

took a swing at me,
and we got into it.

Kind of busted things
up a little bit in the bar.

I'm $40 short.

Fine.

Joe, I don't like hearing things

about you having fights with
anybody, particularly Harry.

Well, I don't like
getting into 'em either.

I've forgotten about it.
I'm sure Harry will, too.

(sighs)

Well, how are we gonna
get this channel dug?

Pa, I was just thinking.

If we're up-to-date with
all of our timber contracts,

can we bring some of
those crews down here

and put 'em on this project?

Not a bad idea.

Joe, how about you
running up there tomorrow

and see how things
are getting along.

- Do it first thing in the morning.
- All right.

Good.

HOP SING: Everybody
better come supper now

before large venison roast
become small like a lamb chop!

(Little Joe laughs)

Here we come, Hop Sing.

I'll see if I can't get
you a deer tomorrow.

(birds chirping)

How's it going?

(sighs) Well, it's coming
along all right, I guess.

Find any more breaks
in the fence, did you?

Couple of 'em.

You didn't tell Pa about...

me and Joe Cartwright
getting into that fight, did you?

No. I told you I wouldn't.

I don't know what it is, Ed.

No sense in trying
to talk to Pa about it.

It just seems that long
back as I can remember,

you know, he's been
saying, "Well, Joe Cartwright,

he wouldn't do it this way
and he wouldn't do it that way."

Yeah, I guess your pa
does like the Cartwrights,

but in view of
what just happened,

you can't really blame him.

Well, it wouldn't
make no difference

if Ben Cartwright hadn't
offered to help, you know.

Long as I can remember,
when Ben says "frog,"

Pa jumps.

Well, you got to
admit Ben's helped him

more times than you can count.

Well, I almost wish he
hadn't offered to help this time.

I've gotten so
sick of this place.

I'd like to leave it
and never see it again.

Oh, that's no
way to talk, Harry.

The only way a man will
amount to something is to...

is to own land.

Look at this meadow.

Prettiest thing you ever seen.

Now, if all 3,600 acres
looked just like that...

But they don't.

It's only this
little green patch.

And even it's watered
by the Ponderosa.

Yeah, it, uh...

it does seem we depend a lot
on the Ponderosa, doesn't it?

Well, uh, I guess I'd
better get back to work.

Ed?

Yeah.

I guess I'd better tell Pa

about that fight with Joe, huh?

If you don't, somebody will.

See you at suppertime, huh?

(gunshot)

Dad-burnit.

(clinking in distance)

(grunting)

Whoa. Whoa.

Aah.

(clinking continues)

(gunshot)

(muttering)

(Cochise chuffs)

Sounds like somebody was
luckier than we were, Cochise.

Ah, come on.

(Harry groans, breathes heavily)

Someone shot me, Ed.

Yeah, I saw him. It
was Joe Cartwright.

Joe Cartwright?

Joe Cartwright.

Take it easy now.

I'll get you home.

(groaning)

(Harry groans)

- Harry...
- (groans)

T-Talk to me.

(Harry groans softly)

Can you hear me, son?

(Harry groans softly)

- What happened?
- Uh... Who shot you?

(slowly): Joe.

Joe Cartwright.

He...

Doc?

I'm sorry, Matt.

I did everything I could.

Joe... Cartwright.

I can't believe it.

Well, you heard him, Matt.

I... I wish I could change it,

but... but you heard him.

Joe Cartwright would
never do a thing like this.

Well, that's, uh... that's
not for us to decide, Doc.

I think we ought to let the
sheriff do the questioning.

He's right, Matt.

Will you take care of it, Ed?

I can't talk to nobody.

Not right now.

Sure, Matt.

I'll take care of... everything.

(overlapping crowd chatter)

Clem, I didn't even
see Harry today.

Maybe so, but I've got
a dying man's statement

and three witnesses
who heard it.

I figured that was enough, or
I wouldn't have brought you in.

I also have your rifle

with the shell casing
still in the chamber.

I told you I took
a shot at a deer.

Yeah, you told us.

Sorry we took so long, Joe.

We just got back to the ranch
and heard what had happened.

Now, Clem, what is this all...?

Harry Jeffers was ambushed.

Before he died, he said he
was shot by Joe Cartwright.

Now, that's ridiculous.

Ben, there were three witnesses.

They all heard him.

He's right, Ben.

I was there.

(Ben sighs)

All right, Joe, what... what
do you say happened?

Well, I don't know
what happened.

I don't know why Harry
would say I shot him.

I heard Harry,
with his last breath,

say that Joe
Cartwright shot him.

All right, Ed, that'll
be enough of that.

Enough of that? What
are you gonna do,

slap him on his wrist
because he's a Cartwright

and then tell him
not to do it again?

You know better than that, Ed.

There'll be an inquest and
then a trial, if it comes to that.

Now, you get out of here.

An inquest.

Then Ben here'll
hire a fancy lawyer

that'll twist the jury around
until he's a regular hero.

Probably get a medal for
bushwhacking a 22-year-old kid.

Joe, you'll be notified about
the hearing, so don't leave

the Ponderosa. I'll have to
keep the rifle for evidence.

Uh, Clem, uh...

(Ben sighs)

Come on.

(overlapping crowd chatter)

(chatter stops)

Even murder's all right when
you're a Cartwright, ain't it?

Joseph.

Oh, Ed, I've got
to hand it to you.

I didn't think you'd
go through with it.

What are you talking about?

Well, Ed, let's
don't play games.

You said you'd figure
out a way to drive a wedge

between Ben Cartwright
and Matt Jeffers.

Well, you did it.

You killed the only thing

that meant more to
him than that land.

You don't believe Joe
Cartwright shot him?

Oh, of course I don't.

He didn't have any reason.

Well, there was that big
fight over in the saloon.

People know Joe Cartwright
better than that, Ed.

They'll need more reason, too.

All right.

I'll give you one.

It was a hunting accident.

Little Joe took a shot
at a deer and hit Harry.

When he saw Harry was
gonna die, he just ran off,

figuring Harry wouldn't live
long enough to say who it was.

Oh, that's not bad.

That's not bad at all.

There's no way of
proving it, though.

Well, there could be.

That was Saturday,
your day off, remember?

Don't you usually rent a
buggy and go for a drive?

Oh, well, I did rent a
buggy. I went for a drive.

Then you could have
seen the whole thing.

Oh, yes, I could.

Of course it's taking a chance.

Oh, well, it's also 3,600
acres of range land

with an underground river.

Joe, a lot of people heard about
that fight you had with Harry.

(sighs) Not gonna
help matters too much.

Well, doesn't mean anything.

Harry lost his temper,
and we got into it, that's all.

Joe, you don't have to
explain anything to Pa and me.

Yeah. Yeah.

I've asked Jeremy Grant to
come out to the house, Joe.

I... I figured it'd be
better to talk out here

than in his office.

He's as good a lawyer as
there is in the territory, Joe.

Yeah.

It's beginning to look like

I'm gonna need the best
lawyer in the territory.

Matt, I know how you
feel about Ben Cartwright,

and Harry knew it, too.

But you can't let your
feelings blind you to the facts.

I just don't
believe it, that's all.

Ben was trying to help me.

Was he?

He was gonna channel
in water to you, wasn't he?

Matt, he hasn't turned
over one shovelful of dirt.

And what's more,
he didn't intend to.

Ben wouldn't do a
thing like that to me.

Oh, wouldn't he?

Well, look at it this way.

Suppose you had
given him this note.

Without that water, you couldn't
have made the first payment.

And the minute you defaulted,
Ben would have your ranch.

Don't you see that's
how he planned it?

But I offered him
the whole ranch

for $5,000, and
he didn't take it.

Do you think

the great Ben Cartwright
is gonna let people know

that he bought your
ranch for $5,000

when you were
down on your knees?!

Not ever.

This way, he could...
he could tell people

that he tried to help
you, but it just didn't work.

He can say how-how
sad he is about it all,

but he'll still have your ranch.

I don't know what
to think anymore.

Why'd Little Joe... kill my son?

Well, I don't think that
was intentional, Matt.

I think Joe shot at
a deer and hit Harry.

When he found out how bad
the boy was hit, he took off,

thought that Harry
wouldn't live long enough

to-to say who it was.

So he didn't have a reason.

Figured he could
get away with it,

being one of the Cartwrights.

Joe is one of the best
shots in the country.

Anybody can miss.

He did.

As bad as the accident was,
the real crime was his running off

and leaving Harry like that.

If I hadn't come along
and found him, I...

(sighs) I know.

I'll always be grateful
to you for that, Ed.

At least the boy
died here at home.

Home.

It's what I wanted most for him.

(Matt sighs)

This place is closing in on me.

Too many memories.

Gonna take me a little ride.

Sure, Matt.

Go ahead. I know how you feel.

Joseph, you feel you've told
me everything there is to tell?

That's all there is.

Well, Jeremy, what do you think?

I've been your lawyer
for a long time, Ben.

I know you like
complete frankness.

There isn't time to do much
before the inquest tomorrow.

In the absence of
any new evidence,

I'd say there's a 50-50 chance

that Joseph could
be indicted for murder.

There's nothing
else we can do, right?

The important thing is to
get ready for the trial itself.

I'll get back to town now
and concentrate on that.

Good-bye, Hoss, Joseph.

Jeremy... I want to
thank you for coming out.

Not at all. It was
the thing to do.

They told Joseph to stay in
the Ponderosa, and at this point

we'll stick right to
the letter of the law.

Yeah. Look, uh,

I-I just can't...
can't figure Joe as...

Uh, look, that y-young Harry
must have had somebody

that had something against him.

Look, if there was
some way of finding him.

May-Maybe I could
go out and talk to Matt.

Would there be anything
legal against me doing that?

Why, I see no reason
why you shouldn't.

You think he'll talk to you?

I don't know, but
got to make a try.

Well, I think you should.

- Good-bye, Ben.
- Bye.

It's gonna be all right, Joe.

It's got to be.

(clicks tongue)

(birds singing)

(gunshot)

BEN: Hey, Matt!

It's Ben Cartwright.

I want to talk to you.

BEN: Matt,

what's the matter with
you? Didn't you hear me?

It's Ben Cartwright.
I want to talk to you.

Put away that rifle.

♪♪

I thought I heard some
shooting back this way.

Oh, was a coyote, uh,

right out here
in broad daylight.

Did you get him?

No, but I run him off.

Matt, why don't you come
on and get some rest.

You haven't eaten or slept.

I'll try, Ed.

But I can't think
of anything else

except that inquest tomorrow.

Well, it's... it's
got to be done.

Got to be done.

And then his father
asked him who shot him

and Harry said...
Joe Cartwright.

Those were his last words.

Your corroboration of
the deathbed statement

is now a matter of record.

Thank you, Dr. Martin.

There is one additional witness.

Millie Perkins, will
you come up, please?

Do you solemnly swear to
tell the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the
truth, so help you God?

I do.

CORONER: All right,
you're under oath.

Now would you tell your
story in your own words?

The day that, that
you're talking about...

Well, it was Saturday
and the office was closed.

I rented a buggy
and went for a drive.

Now, when you say the
day we were talking about,

you mean the day
Harry Jeffers was killed.

(indistinct chatter)

Go on.

I drove to that pretty
little green meadow

that I like to go to. It's
on the Jeffers' ranch.

This is unexpected. I hope
it doesn't mean any trouble.

Miss Perkins, remember
you are under oath.

Go on.

I was riding along that road

dividing the Ponderosa
from the Jeffers' ranch

when I saw Joe Cartwright

riding down a slope.

He stopped, and then I saw
him draw his rifle and fire.

And all of a sudden he
turned his horse and rode off.

Well, now, you heard
Joe Cartwright's testimony.

He mentioned hearing a shot.

Did you hear any shot
other than the one he fired?

No, I didn't.

(indistinct chatter)

(gavel banging)

This may not be a court of law,

but it is a coroner's inquest.

And I'll either have quiet

or I'll have the
sheriff clear the room.

Now, Miss Perkins,
what did you do after that?

After that I came
on back to town.

Miss Perkins, if you
had this information,

why didn't you say
something before this?

I didn't think anything
of it until Ed Phillips

showed me where
Harry Jeffers was killed.

And I realized that it must be

Joe Cartwright's
bullet that hit him.

He must have
seen Harry fall, but

he just rode off and
left him lying there.

(gallery clamoring)

Ben Cartwright, you don't
have to steal my ranch.

Matt,

- Matt, be quiet.
- I'll give it to you. -No, Matt,

- that's enough.
- And I don't want any more of your help.

- That's enough.
- All I want to do

- Matt.
- Is see that murdering

- son of yours hanged.
- Matt Jeffers,

- you be quiet and get back in your seat.
- (gavel bangs)

I have warned you
for the last time.

I declare this inquest
in recess, and when

we reconvene in 15 minutes,

you'll either conduct yourselves

in a manner befitting
the occasion, or

I'll hold you all in contempt.

And I have the
authority to do so.

Sit down.

(indistinct chatter)

Matt, Matt, I've
got to talk to you.

Let's get away from
here. Come on, come on.

I can't figure out
why she's lying.

She couldn't have
seen me fire the rifle.

I didn't even fire it in the
same direction that Ed said

he found Harry's body.

Matt, you got to listen to me.

What you just said in there
about giving him your land.

That's all he wants. That's all
Ben Cartwright ever wanted.

Matt, look, look, there's $640.

It's every cent I
got in this world.

You take it. You take it and
you pay off Ben Cartwright.

I'd rather spend my last cent
buying a worthless piece of land

than let Ben Cartwright have it.

Thank you, Ed.

Cartwright,

there's the money you loaned me.

I owe you nothing more.

But you owe me
for the life of my son

and you'll pay me
with the life of yours.

- (indistinct chatter)
- (gavel bangs)

CORONER: This
inquest will come to order.

Miss Perkins, will you please
return to the witness chair?

You're still under oath.

Now, do you have anything to
add to what you've already told us?

No, I told everything.

Very well, you're excused
from the witness chair.

Thank you.

Uh, Mr. Avery, uh...
with your permission,

before the witness leaves,
may I ask her a-a question?

You may, if the
question is pertinent.

I believe it is.

Uh, Miss Perkins,

you, uh, testified that
you rented a buggy

on, uh, on that day.

Yes, that's right.

Would you tell us
who you rented it from?

Jake Johnson's livery stable.

That's right, Ben. Always
does rent one, every time

she's got a day off.
I remember my wife

was doing a big
washing that day.

Jake, I think you've answered
the question, thank you.

Um... A-And then you

testified, I believe,
that you, uh,

drove out to the Jeffers' place

to where it borders the
Ponderosa and that green meadow.

That's right.

What is this?

She's already answered
those questions.

What are you trying
to do, Cartwright?

I'm just trying to do what
everybody else is trying to do,

and that's to find out how
this terrible thing happened.

Would you mind
telling us what time

you returned to Virginia City?

I don't know, uh...

half past 6:00, 7:00 maybe.

Half past 6:00 or 7:00 maybe.

Maybe.

Jake, could you
help us out here?

Do you know exactly what time

Miss Perkins brought that
buggy back to your livery stable?

I sure can.

I always look
after these things.

It was exactly 5:00.

BEN: Exactly 5:00.
Not 6:30 or 7:00,

but 5:00.

That's enough of this.
What's he trying to prove?

Now, according
to the, uh, record,

Mr. Avery, uh, what time

did the shooting take place?

3:30 in the afternoon.

BEN: 3:30 in the afternoon.

And you did say that you
were a witness to that shooting?

Yes.

And you saw the shooting
at 3:30 and according to Jake,

you were back in Virginia
City at 5:00 in the afternoon.

ED: Why don't you quit
badgering her, Cartwright?

You don't have to answer
him, Millie. He's just

trying to rattle you.

Mr. Avery, I would like

an answer to this question.

Answer the question,
Miss Perkins.

Well, I told you I don't
remember what time it was.

- How would I know?
- Leave her alone.

What's the matter, Ed?
Don't you want the truth?

She's already told the truth.

Be quiet, Ed.

Well, he's just leading her on,

- trying to get her mixed up.
- (gavel bangs)

CORONER: Go on, Mr. Cartwright.

Matt, you heard Miss Perkins

testify that she was a witness

to the shooting at
3:30 in the afternoon.

And you heard Jake tell us that

she returned the buggy to
him at 5:00 in the afternoon.

Now, you've ridden
out from your place to

Virginia City maybe
hundreds of times.

How long does it take you?

Two hours on a fast horse.

And a lot longer in a buggy.

That's right, Matt.

Two hours on a fast horse

and a lot longer in a buggy.

And now she saw
the shooting at 3:30

and was back in
Virginia City by 5:00?

That's right, Matt.

It took her an hour and a
half to get back in that buggy.

She never saw that
shooting, Ed, she's lying.

She's not lying.

You all heard her.

You're mistaken, Jake.

How could I make a mistake?

I get paid by the hour.

I got it all down
in my record book.

It was exactly 5:00.

- (indistinct chatter)
- (gavel bangs)

Miss Perkins,

do you wish to reconsider
any of your statements?

Otherwise I must
warn you I consider

the possibility of perjury.

It wasn't my fault.

- Ed Phillips...
- Millie.

Millie, you don't know
what you're saying. She's...

She's all mixed up.

Ed Phillips threatened me

if I didn't lie for him.

- She's lying.
- (gallery murmuring)

Millie, Millie, you don't
know what you're saying.

Don't blame me, Ed Phillips.

You were trying
to keep Matt Jeffers

from making a deal
with the Cartwrights.

That's why you
killed Harry Jeffers.

- MAN: What?
- (indistinct chatter)

Millie... I had it.

I had the ranch, Millie.

Cartwright.

- Ed, you're in a lot of trouble.
- Hold him back, here.

Matt... Matt, I didn't
mean to kill him.

I just wanted the land, Matt.

A man without
land ain't nothing.

Well, why didn't
you speak up, Ed?

Why didn't you speak up?

I owed you for back wages.

I owed you for
ten years of loyalty.

I didn't want to give
you a half of nothing.

After we had water...

I was gonna make you a partner.

Come on, Ed.

Joe.

I'm sorry. I...

I didn't want to believe it.

I understand.

We all do, Matt.

Like I said the other day,

there's no one we'd rather
have as a neighbor than you.

Thank you, Ben, I... I know.

But with Harry gone, it's...

Well, seems to me like
he'd want you to go back

and build up the
ranch, Mr. Jeffers.

Could be a fine ranch.

Did you say could be, Matt?

It will be.

Now, come on, we've
got ourselves a...

a water channel
to finish. Let's go.

ANNOUNCER: This has
been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.