Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 8, Episode 3 - A Time to Step Down - full transcript

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Evening, Dan.

Oh, evening.

Wind, uh, blew sand in my eyes.

I... was just restin'
'em for a spell.

Everything going all right?

Stock's finally gentled
down for the night.

Listen, why don't you...

why don't you go
get a cup of coffee.

I'll take your
watch for a while.



It's my time to stand watch.

I'll get the job done.

Sure enough.

See you back in camp.

One gust of wind
could fire the brush

and stampede the whole herd.

Take us a week to round 'em up.

We were careful to
see it didn't happen.

You were careful.

You're supposed
to be riding watch.

Not sitting around
guzzling this stuff.

Well, a fella's gotta have some

to take the chill off his bones.

The orders were no
drinking on this drive.



You knew that.

It's not the first time
you've broken the rules,

but it's going to be the last.

All right, we owe
you two weeks pay.

Here it is. Be off
this ranch in an hour.

Just like that, huh?

Pack up and get out.

That's right, just like that.

You hear the man, Temple?

I heard him. Don't like it.

No man fires me and
then tells me what to do.

What do you reckon we
ought to do about him, Sand?

Teach him some better manners.

That's the bottle talking and
it's not making much sense.

Not this time.

This is my idea.

Get him up.

Hold it.

You got ten seconds to ride out.

You don't... in 11
seconds, you'll be dead.

Thanks, Dan.

That's one I owe you.

You don't owe me anything, boy.

You'd have done
the same thing for me.

What's the matter, Joe, can't
you get him turned around?

I told him enough times.

You'd think he'd
do it by himself now.

Why don't you try
sweet-talking him, little brother,

like you do them
gals on Saturday night.

Why don't you sweet-talk
'em... They look a lot more like

the gals you dance
with on Saturday night.

Dan, you want me to take
him, you put the iron on him?

After 50 years, Hoss,

I think I can handle it.

Okay.

Well, that's the
last of the strays.

You're doing a
real good job, son.

Well, it's not finished yet.

Well, I'm proud of the
way you're handling things.

- Really am.
- Well, thank you.

I don't want to mess up my
first chance of being trail boss.

Hey, there were a couple things

I wanted to talk to you about.

Yeah, oh, sure...
Whenever you say.

Watch Dan.

Look at the way he
turns them over, huh.

You know, he
taught me to do that

when I wasn't
much older than you.

He's been at it a long time.

I'll get him for you, Dan.

I don't need your help!

Get away!

Hoss!

Get you bad?

No. Just the edge of
the iron caught me a bit.

Smarts a bit.

You fool.

- Look what you done!
- I done?!

You listen to me, old man...

Dan, this isn't going
to help anything.

Luke, get back to work. Come on.

Sorry, boy.

Never would've happened if
that young buck hadn't jumped in.

That's all right, Dan.

I should have
got out of the way.

Come on, let's get to the
house, have a look at it.

All right, that's all for now.

We'll pick it up after lunch.

He can't do the job anymore.

Look, there's more to it
than that, and you know it.

You saw the way
he acted out there.

Why, Dan Tolliver used to be

the best-liked
wrangler on this ranch.

He just doesn't get along
with the men anymore.

I've been watching him
the last few weeks, Pa.

He... he's tired.

He's slow to react to trouble.

The other day the
herd turned into him

and his horse almost
went out from under him

before he could get clear.

He did pretty good when
those two had you in the hook.

He saved me from a bad
beating, Pa, and I'm grateful.

Look, I'm-I'm not
saying fire him,

kick him off the ranch, I...

I'm just saying find
him a job he can handle.

There's lots of things
he can do around here.

Dan Tolliver isn't a ranch
hand, he's a wrangler...

Always has been...
One of the best.

Look, Pa, I gotta, I gotta
get this drive through.

I have to get it through
safe and in prime condition.

Now, the only way
I'm going to do that

is by getting the
best out of everyone.

I know that.

All right, today
Dan got a man hurt

because he would not
admit that he needed help.

Now, tomorrow he may get
himself killed, or somebody else.

I... I just don't want
that to happen.

Not on one of our drives.

Dan and I go back a
whole lot of years together.

Long before you were born.

And I can tell you, the
horses rode a whole lot easier

knowing he was at my side.

Doesn't there come a time
when a man has to step down?

For his own good, Pa.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

You want me to tell him?

No. I'll tell him.

You sure got this buggy
looking slick, Hoss.

Wouldn't be to take Sara
Johnson riding, would it?

Well, now, it just
could be, Dan.

Just could be.

Luke had no call
to do what he done.

I would have got
that steer down easy.

Yeah, I-I know, Dan.

Well, you take good
care of that arm, now,

so as it don't infect.

Aw... will do.

Will do, Dan.

Giddup.

I'll get it.

Hello, Dan.

Come in. Come in.

It's good to see you.

Uh, I didn't take you away
from anything important

on a Saturday night, did I?

Well, I'm fixin'
to go into town.

Oh, well, uh, this can wait.

Why, it'll still be there
an hour from now.

Yeah, sure. Come in.

Howdy, Joe.

How you doing, Dan?

The usual?

But, uh, not to the brim.

I do, it bites back
at me in the morning.

I know the feeling real well.

Here's to absent friends
and good memories.

What is it you want to
talk to me about, Ben?

Eh, we've been friends
for a good many years,

haven't we, Dan?

More years than... than
we care to count, I guess.

Yeah, we... we go back a
long ways together, Ben.

That's for sure.

Yeah, the years
creep up on you, and...

a man begins to feel the
difference in his bones.

There's nothing
wrong, is there, Ben?

- Your health, I mean.
- Oh, no, no.

No, no, no.

No, no. No, no, no, Dan.

I'm... fine. I...

But I was just
thinking, the other day...

with all the men
going out on the drive,

there's so many things that
have to be done around here,

and I don't know if I
can handle them all...

I was just wondering if you...

well, if I couldn't talk you
into staying here with me

and giving me a hand with them.

You mean you want
me to be a ranch hand?

Well... yes, you know.

You know, there's so many
things that have to be done.

That barn needs
patching up real bad.

And after that?

Well, uh... well, you know

how many things have to be
done around a place like this.

I get it.

After the barn, mend the
fence, clean the stables.

I'm a wrangler,
Ben. I work stock.

I always have.

Now, what are you trying to say?

Come out and say it straight,
Ben, the way we always talk.

Sit down, Dan.

I'm all right where I am.

- Sit down.
- I'm all right here!

Well, Dan...

you've been working trail on the
Ponderosa for the last 15 years.

I sure wish you could
go on working it...

but you can't.

I'm too old... is that
what you're saying to me?

No. What I'm trying to say is
that you-you got to stop driving

yourself in a line of work
that's for young fellas.

I'm trying to get
you to ease off.

It's the onliest trade I know,

and I got no intention
of changing now.

I'll get my gear together
and be gone in the morning.

You are the dad-burnest,
stubbornest man I know.

I don't know how many times
it's gotten you into trouble.

- Now, what for?
- For me.

It's a line I've
laid out for myself,

and that's the
way I got to travel.

Well, lay yourself
out another line.

I don't want you to go.
I want you to stay here.

Let me change your mind.

Can I get you to change yours?

Now, don't run off like this.

There's no need for that.

Help me find the
words to make you stay.

All right.

Well, there'll be a
year's bonus for you.

I got 28 days pay coming
to me, nothing else.

Dan...?

I just want you to know
that it was my decision

to keep you off the trail.

Your decision?!

That's right.

You got no right
to judge me, boy.

None whatsoever.

And you're wrong about me.

I can still work you young bucks

into the ground any
time I'm a mind to.

Look, Dan, I only...

Just have my wages
drawn up in the morning.

Just have them drawn up.

A bottle, Sam.

Hello, Tolliver.

You enjoying yourself?

You know, you made
me look a little foolish

out there that night.

Throwing me in the
dirt the way that you did.

He snuck up behind us,

and he had a rifle then,
which he ain't got now.

You want a piece
of me, come ahead,

but you better keep
me down for good.

You don't, I'll
kill both of you.

Hold on, Dan.

There's no need
to get all riled up.

Suppose you and Joe Cartwright
are real tight buddies now, huh?

You suppose wrong.

I ain't got any more use for
Joe Cartwright than you have.

Why don't we all sit down, huh?

Me and Temple here'll,
uh, share the cost

of that bottle with you.

I drink only with my friends.

I don't see any here tonight.

How come you let
an old coot like that

bad-mouth you that way?

That ain't like you, Sand.

That old coot... he's got
a big anger inside him,

and I think it's against
the Cartwrights.

Yeah, so what if it is?

I don't know... yet.

Flint?

Jim Flint?

Hello, Dan.

Been a heap of years
since our trails crossed.

- Over 16 of them.
- Yeah, uh-huh.

Sit down, have a drink with me.

Ah, last time we was together,

we worked trail
herd on the Big Red.

With the Morgan outfit.

Remember the night

a rattler crawled
into your bedroll?

Tell me about it.

First time I ever saw
a bedroll climb a tree.

And the time that Apache
raiding party jumped us.

You took an
arrow, as I recollect.

You recollect right.

Right after, was the first time

I ever saw a wrangler
ride sidesaddle.

Still troubles me some.

What are you doing
in Virginia City?

Ah, just drifting through.

You signed on with
any of the trail herds yet?

Naw, I give that
up some time ago.

Why? You was a good wrangler.

Good as any man I knew.

Now, what would make
you take a job like this?

I got to eat when I'm hungry.

It's as easy as that.

Swamper...

I pay you to clean
up this place,

not to sit and bother
the customers.

Thanks for the drink, Dan.

Maybe, one day, we'll get
together, kick around old times?

Sure. One day, Jim.

Here. You have this, Jim.

Thanks, Dan.

Yes?

It's me, Beth.

Dan Tolliver.

Dan.

Dan, how good to see you.

Come in.

I... was walking
by, I saw the light.

I didn't mean to bother you.

I'd have been bothered
if you hadn't stopped by.

Come in and sit down, Dan.

You're certain I won't
be putting you out any?

Oh, no. I was just finishing up.

Kind of late to be
making pies, ain't it?

Well, it's a rush order for
Mrs. Grant's social tomorrow.

I have to take my work
however I can find it,

no matter what the hour.

Things bad for you, Beth?

Well, sometimes,
they get a little rough,

but never mind that.

You sit down at the table,
and I'll warm the coffee.

You need money, Beth?

No.

No, I'll manage.

Apple pie still your favorite?

What?

Oh, yeah.

I remember other
Saturday nights, Dan...

the socials... do you recall?

We used to have
some high old times

at those dances, didn't we?

Yes, we did.

And as I recall, you were
seldom around to see them end.

Course I was.

No, you weren't.

You used to come in all spruced
up, acting the proper gentleman.

Then after a few trips
around the back with the boys,

you'd come in and dance
with all the pretty girls.

You was one of them
pretty gals, if I recollect.

The fact that I was
with another fella

never seemed to trouble you any.

Sure did trouble that
other fella, though, didn't it?

Yes, and you'd both
go back and settle it.

I never saw such
a patched-up suit

as the one you used to wear.

Suit wasn't made to
roll on the ground in.

We girls used to
get so mad at you.

Why?

I thought you liked
to dance with me.

We did.

You were the best dancer there,

but the worst fighter.

It was always the other fella
that returned to the dance.

I never seemed to learn, did I?

You're a fine woman, Beth Riley.

Tom was mighty lucky
to have found you.

I only wish it was me
who'd been so lucky.

You had that chance, Dan...

or don't you remember?

It's late. I better be leaving.

Dan, you didn't have
your pie and coffee.

Another time.

Thank you for everything, Beth.

Dan... Dan, if
you're ever troubled,

if you think you'd like
to talk to someone,

my door is always open to you.

You're a good woman, Beth.

With all your own
problems, you're helping me.

Should be the other way around.

Good night, Beth.

Come in.

Hi, Dan.

Where's your pa?

A bunch of steers got
bogged down last night.

Hoss and Pa rode out
to see what they could do.

I'm just making out a list
of supplies for the drive.

I came for my wages.

Yeah.

You got anything lined up?

I'll make do, like always.

If there's anything
we can do to help...

There is.

Count out my wages.

Look, uh, Pa still wants
you to take that bonus.

Just the wages.

Now, you understand
something, boy...

and I want you to remember it.

I wasn't born this
old; I grew into it.

And so will you one day.

And when that happens...

you'll know how I feel now.

You'll know why it
don't go down easy.

♪♪

♪♪

It's open.

What do you want?

Word's out about what happened
to you with the Cartwrights.

So?

Well, you're in the same
boat with Temple and me now,

so we thought we'd drop
by and try to cheer you up.

That's right.

Bought our own
bottle to do it with.

You wasted your money.

I drink my own whiskey.

Get out of here.

You know, you...

you told me you only
drank with your friends.

Well, why not give us a chance?

Tolliver, do you mind telling
me what you've got to show

for 50 years' work?

Uh, beside a worn saddle and...

the clothes on your back and
maybe what's in that saddlebag?

It's enough, till I sign
on with another trail herd.

No. Not a chance.

When the other outfits hear
that the Cartwrights let you go,

and know the reason,

you won't be able to get a
job herding day-old calves.

You'll wind up cleaning
stables and swamping saloons.

That's not a
pretty future, is it?

Get out of here.

Sure, we'll go.

But if I can show you a way
to get you enough money

to set you up for
the rest of your life,

you figure that's
worth a listen?

I tell you it can work.

Tonight, Little Joe and Hoss
will bed down with the herd,

like they've been doing.

Ben Cartwright will
be alone at the house.

That's right.

Alone with all
that payroll money

for the trail herd wranglers...

in the safe.

Now, if me and
Temple try to break in,

they'll use a gun on us.

But all you have to do is
knock on the front door,

and we'll be right behind you.

What makes you think
he'd open the door for me?

30 years of friendship.

No.

No, you've come
to the wrong man.

I want no part of it.

I've done some things
in my time I ain't proud of,

but I ain't never stole
from another man,

and I ain't aiming to start
now, with someone I call friend.

You mean you call the
Cartwrights your friends?

Why, it was them
who threw you away.

Them who said,
"You're finished old man,

go crawl in a hole
and die by yourself."

That's right... They
kicked you out!

You buy that brand
of friendship, Tolliver?

We do get in the house...

what makes you think Ben
will open the safe for us?

He's got no choice.

He don't open it,
we take him out!

Shut up, Temple.

Ben Cartwright's no fool.

He's a wealthy man...

He's not going to
risk his life for money.

He'll give it to us.

There'll be no
gunplay, I promise.

What do you say?

It's your last chance, old man.

♪♪

I'm in.

Come on!

Come on!

Reach for your gun.

Slow and easy.

Now... Temple will
ride out on ahead.

You follow in the wagon right
behind him, and I follow you.

Let's move!

♪♪

Yes, who is it?

Dan Tolliver, Ben.

Dan, you son of a gun!

It's good to see you.

Come on in.

Well, come on in!

Don't stand outside there.

We, uh, don't usually
keep the door bolted,

but, uh, with the payroll
in the safe, you know,

there's no point
taking any chances.

I been waiting
up for Little Joe.

He went to town this
morning to get some supplies.

Should've been back
some time ago, but...

I guess he's, uh...

with Hoss, looking at the herd.

Like some coffee?

Dan, would you like some coffee?

No.

Well, Dan, I hope
you’re coming back here

means that you've
thought things over

and you're gonna be
working with us again.

No.

What is it, Dan?

If you want Joe back...

you open up that safe and
give me the money that's inside.

What's the matter with you, Dan?

We got Joe, Ben.

Me and my partners.

He ain't been hurt none,
and he'll be turned loose

as soon as I get back
there with the money.

Some kind of joke?

It's no joke, Ben.

We got him.

What's come over you, Dan?

Why?

Because I'm fighting for
what's left of my life, that's why.

Because after 50 years'
work, I... I find I'm used up.

I got nothin', Ben.

Nothin' behind me and nothin'
up ahead except handout jobs.

That's not for me, Ben.

I don't aim to end up that way.

Now, you open that safe.

Put it all in there.

After I leave, don't
try to follow me, Ben.

It can only cause trouble.

I'd have given you this money,

and anything else you wanted.

All you had to
do was ask for it.

You mean another handout?

If Joe's back in the morning...

I won't say a word about this.

You get out of here,
and good luck to you.

But if he's hurt...
in any way...

I'll come after you, Dan,

and there won't
be a place on earth

far enough or dark
enough to hide you.

♪♪

♪♪

When you reckon
he's gonna get back?

Well, if things go the way
they should, by sunrise.

What do you mean, "things
go the way they should"?

- Why shouldn't they?
- Oh, settle down, Temple.

It's going to be a long night.

The way I figure
it, the old man'll

be back in the
morning... with the money.

That old man get
back with the money,

what do you figure you're
gonna do with your share?

Spend it.

Me, too.

I'm going to San Francisco.

And I'm gonna get me a room
in one of them fancy hotels.

Then I'm gonna go down
and buy me some of them

duded-up city clothes...

and I'm gonna kiss me

every pretty girl I can find.

Why don't you
give him the number

of your hotel room,
while you're at it?

What difference does it
make if he knows where I'm at?

Ain't gonna do
him no good nohow.

♪♪

♪♪

Yes, who is it?

Beth, it's me, Dan.

Dan, what's the matter?

Can I come in? I...
I want to talk to you.

Of course.

I'm sorry to bother
you this late,

but I don't have much time.

Well, a-are you in trouble?
Is there anything I can do?

No, I'm fine.

I-I'm leaving town. I...

Chances are, I
won't see you again.

Well, what-what
do you intend to do?

Where are you going?

Well, I...

I ain't rightly thought
about that yet, I...

There's something I
wanted to do before I left.

I want you to have this.

Where did you
get all that money?

Well, no matter about
that. That's why I came here,

to... to give it to
you. Here, take it.

Oh, I can't accept that.

Why?

Well, it doesn't belong to me.

Does it belong to you?

Yes.

It does belong to me. Maybe
not the way you think, but...

but there's 50 years of my
life tied up in this money.

I've earned it.

Every dollar of it.

And I want you
to share it with me.

But why?

Because you won't have
to stay up half the night

working for other people.

You won't have to depend on
anyone for food on your table,

or a roof over your head.

What have you done?

What I've done was as
much for you as for me.

No. Not for me.

If I took this money, would
it ease your conscience?

Oh, Dan, don't you see,
you've done a wrong thing?

This could lead to big trouble.

I can't take this money.

I earn enough to live on.

And I take pride in my work.

The way you used to.

Beth.

They kicked me out.

They called me an old man.

They said I couldn't do my work.

Well, then, I'd do
something that I could do.

And no matter what,
there'd be no shame.

As long as it was honest
work, I'd take pride in it.

Honest work... like Jim Flint,

cleaning spittoons.

Dan...

my thoughts and my
prayers are with you.

Sand, wake up. It's morning.

That old man should
have been here by now.

What do you think
happened to him?

I'll ask him when he gets here.

Check him.

All right, lean forward,
so I can see your hands.

Come on...

It's him, Sand. He's here.

Don't forget what
we've got to do.

Not a chance.

Did you get it?

Did Cartwright
give you the money?

Look at it, Sand.

Will you look at it?

And it's ours, it's all ours.

You make sure nobody
followed you here?

No one followed me.

It was easy, wasn't it?

For you, it was easy.

We owe you a lot, Tolliver.

It might not have worked out
if you hadn't come in with us.

What you fixing to do?

Cut him loose,
turn him out of here.

I don't think so.

Wait a minute.

That was our understanding...
By the time he gets home,

tells them about us,
we'll be long gone.

No way for 'em to catch us.

Well, maybe not this week.

But what about next
week, or next month,

or next year?

No... I'm not gonna
spend the rest of my life

looking over my shoulder.

I won't sit still for a killing.

I didn't think you would.

And I'm sorry.

It would've changed
things if you had.

I'll take one of you with me.

No, you won't.

Shoot him, Temple!

I didn't want you hurt.

Where did it take you?

Got-Got me in the side.

I'll be all right.

What are you... What
are you waiting for?

You got all the money now.

That's w... That's what
you wanted, isn't it?

No.

That's all you left me.

What you forced on me.

Oh, come on, Dan, nobody
forced you in anything.

You did that all by yourself.

What do you think...
what do you think,

you're the on... the only
person who ever got old?

Happens to lots of people.

The only difference is
they adjust to it, they...

they find work they can handle.

Good, honest work
and they take pride in it.

No, not you.

No, you're too proud
to work for my father,

but you're not too
proud to steal from him.

And I feel sorry for you.

You had an awful lot to offer.

50 years of
experience on the trail.

Something you
could have passed on.

But you just, you just quit.

Well, you go on, take the money.

Try and buy yourself
a friend like my father.

Here... let me help you.

Let's go home, son.

♪♪

What's the matter with you, boy?

Can't you see that horse
standing there, big as life?

Well, everything's normal again.

It's good to have him back.

Yeah.

Easy, boy.

Sneak it out easy.

I said easy, didn't I?

I'm gonna make a
wrangler out of you, boy,

in spite of yourself.

Go get 'em, Dan.

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