Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 8, Episode 7 - Credit for a Kill - full transcript

When it's unclear which of their two bullets, fired simultaneously, brought down a wanted horse thief, Little Joe allows his friend, rancher Morgan Tanner, to take the credit and claim the much needed reward money. But when the outlaw's brothers come to town for his body and revenge, Joe must make a difficult decision that will save his friend, but may destroy their friendship.

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(fanfare plays)

(cowboy whoops)

(cattle lowing)

(cowboys whistling)

(cattle bellowing)

(lowing)

Well, how's it going?

That's the last one.

- Really?
- Uh-huh.



250 of the prettiest little
calves you've ever seen.

You realize you're a whole
week ahead of schedule?

I'm proud of you, son.

Really, I'm proud of you.

Well, the men
deserve the credit.

They're a real good crew.

Well, it still takes a
man to lead the way.

You tell the boys
there'll be a good bonus

for each one of them.

Thank you; they'll
be happy about that.

Does that go for me, too?

Well, if, uh, you
consider that week off

you've been wanting
to take a bonus...

Hey, do I ever.



Elkton, here I come.

Elkton? What are you
going to do in Elkton?

Pa, the prettiest
girls in Nevada

live right there in Elkton.

Oh, they do, do they?

Yeah, I guess you would
know about things like that.

Hey, Joe, since you're
going up that way,

do me a favor, will you?

Drop in and see how
Morgan Tanner's doing.

Last time I saw him,

that broken arm of his
wasn't setting too well.

I wouldn't go by Elkton
without looking in on Morgan.

Why don't you wait for me?

I'll get my horse and
we'll ride home together.

Pretty girls, hmm?

(chuckles)

Hey, Morgan!

Little Joe!

Well, what a surprise.

What the deuce are you
doing way over here in Elkton?

Came over to see you
and Martha, for one thing.

How you doing?

Fine.

(sniffs)

What the devil have you got on?

Huh?

What do you mean?

What smells so pretty?

Oh.

Oh, well, that's, uh,

that's some of that bay
rum cologne stuff, you know.

Oh, that's what it is.

Yeah.

Must be a new girl in town, huh?

Well, I don't know.

That's what I came
to Elkton to find out.

We finished the branding

and Pa gave me a week off.

He and Hoss send the
best to you and your wife.

Thank you.

Been meaning to bring
Martha over to see you folks,

but a man never seems to
get caught up in a place like this.

I see what you mean.

Let me give you
a hand with that.

All right.

(chickens clucking)

(grunting)

Yeah, this could use
a little more chopping.

You know, Morgan,
you're a lucky man.

Having a wife like Martha.

Hey, Joe, Joe,
uh, wait a minute.

What is all this?

Bay rum cologne,
sentimental talk...

You sure there isn't
some special girl in Elkton?

No, nobody special.

But you know,
you never can tell.

Well, it's time you found
a girl and settled down.

When it's time for me to
start planting rice, let me know.

Yeah, well, don't rush it.

I got a lot of wild
oats to sow first.

(Morgan stifles a groan)

How's that arm doing?

Well, it could be better.

I just keep forgetting it
doesn't work so good.

Wasn't because of that
you stopped by, was it?

Morgan, if you don't feel
sorry for yourself, why should I?

Hey, Joe.

That can wait.

Come on, let's go in the house

and get something cold to drink.

You got yourself a deal.

I can't wait for
Martha to see you.

Does Martha still make
that dried apple pie?

She sure does.

That's my horse!

Somebody's stealing my horse!

(gunshots)

He's dead.

(theme song playing)

Any idea who he was?

No name on anything, Martha,

just the initials "L.J."
on his belt buckle.

Just one bullet hit him.
Went clear through him.

He was hit dead-center
of where I was aiming.

I'm sure it was my
bullet brought him down.

Well, I'll take him into Elkton

and file a report
with the sheriff.

I'll bring your horse
back when I'm through.

Oh, that won't be
necessary, Joe.

I'll saddle up and go with you.

You're a stranger here.

Sheriff Fenton's
a friend of mine.

I want to tell him
it was my blame.

Well, whatever you
think is best, Morgan.

I think that's best.

Won't take me but a minute

to saddle up another horse.

Well, I'd better get
him up on the horse.

Well, go ahead.

MORGAN: Then
he opened fire on us.

There wasn't nothing
to do but shoot back.

He was, uh,
coming straight at us,

there wasn't no
chance to miss him.

Joe and I both fired
at the same time.

You both fired?

Yeah, that's right, Sheriff.

I guess you could see,
though, just one bullet hit him.

Hmm.

L.J., L.J.

Maybe this is something here.

Luke Jordan... with
a bunch of aliases.

Now, if this is him,
you boys got a bad one.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's him all right.

The one sitting down,
right there on the right.

"Luke Jordan,
wanted dead or alive

"for the murder of a cashier

"and the theft of $8,000 from
the Tucson Express Company.

If apprehended, notify Sheriff
Winkler, Tucson, Arizona."

There's a $2,000 reward.

Well, it looks like you boys
did the community a service

and made some pretty
good wages besides.

Well, it didn't enter my mind

about there being a reward.

Well, some days
you get lucky, Morgan.

Oh, no, I don't hold to
blood money, Sheriff.

Well, neither do I.

But if it falls
your way, take it.

I'll bet there were 20
bounty hunters after this one.

If you boys hadn't have got
it, one of them would have.

He's right, Morgan.

Hey, Sheriff, who are the
other three in the picture?

That's his brothers.

Virgil, Boone and Walt Jordan.

They've all got
records a mile long.

But it seems like
they've served their time...

They're not wanted
at the moment.

Is that all, Sheriff?

FENTON: No,
there's one more thing.

Now, Luke's death
could bring his brothers

into town to claim his body.

If that happens...

well, these are real
hard cases, boys.

They might want to claim

a couple of more
bodies besides Luke's.

You mean Joe and me.

Mm-hmm.

Well, I think you're
just looking for trouble

before it starts, Sheriff.

Well, that's a habit
with me, Cartwright,

just like staying alive.

If I broke one habit, I
might lose the other.

I guess you got a point.

FENTON: Well, thanks
for the time, boys.

I'll wire the sheriff in Tucson,

and your money should
be here in a couple of days.

Right.

(door opens)

(door closes)

Oh, come on, what's
the matter, Morgan?

You got something against money?

Got something against
that way of getting it.

Just put that kind of
thinking out of your head.

You didn't have any choice.

I guess you're right.

Well, I'll go on over
and get my horse.

I'd better be getting
back to the farm.

I think I'll stick around
town a little while.

- Yeah, I figured you would.
- (laughs)

Any chance of you coming out and
having supper with me and Martha

before you go back
to the Ponderosa?

You can count on it.

Just make sure Martha's got

plenty of that dried
apple pie for me.

Right.

I'll see you back at the ranch.

(lively piano music playing)

(quietly): Ooh-hoo!

(lively piano music continues)

I'll have a beer.

Thanks.

Want company, sweetheart?

Not that I know of.

Favorite number
for you, stranger?

Anything you play is
fine with me, ma'am.

I've got a favorite number.

You.

When my neck needs
washing, Mr. Rawlins,

I'll do it myself.

Are you an iceberg, girlie?

Will you leave me alone?

MAN: Don't play that
holier-than-thou with me, lady.

This is a saloon,

and you're here to entertain.

Mr. Rawlins, my
kind of entertainment

is supposed to be
cultural, not physical.

Well, as somebody once said:

"If you can't whip
'em, join 'em."

(plunking notes)

LITTLE JOE: Hey, mister.

Hey, you!

(stops playing)

Go finish your drink. I
want to hear the music.

Get lost, little boy.

Come here.

Come here.

The little boy wants
to hear the music.

(grunts)

Do you mind if I sit down?

No, not at all.

In fact, I'd like it.

Thank you.

My name's Lorna Medford.

I'm sorry you had
to get involved

in that incident,
Mister, uh... Cartwright.

Joe Cartwright, I'm from
over Virginia City way.

And as far as the incident's
concerned, forget it.

Today seems like my
day for getting involved.

Why don't you play some music,

liven this place
up a little bit?

That'll cost you a drink, Joe.

Got to earn my keep.

What'll you have?

I'll have what you have.

What would you like me to play?

Uh, let me see, uh, how
about "Beautiful Dreamer"?

You know that one?

Of all the songs
to pull out of a hat,

why did you have
to choose that one?

Oh, you've got to be kidding.

Buttermilk?

You're a real woman
of the world, aren't you?

From Corryville, Ohio.

Population 58, minus one.

Who's the real "Lorna," the,
uh, the dress you're wearing,

or what you're drinking?

I ordered the buttermilk, Joe.

The management
ordered the dress.

That's for the customers

whose hearing doesn't
match their eyesight.

Oh.

(begins playing "Beautiful
Dreamer" on piano)

Who was he?

Rich man? Poor man?
Beggar man? Thief? What?

Rich man.

I see, and you
were the, uh, girl

from the other side
of the tracks, huh?

Something like that.

Wanting to marry the
family money, not the man.

Did he think you were just
after the family treasury?

I didn't wait to find out.

Just ran away, huh?

I didn't run.

I simply had to prove I
could make it on my own

without the help from
any family treasury.

Well, that's good.

That's good.

You're really gonna prove
a lot in a place like this.

Ten dollars a week, all
the buttermilk you can drink.

And the wonderful
fragrance of stale beer.

This is just a stepping
stone to San Francisco.

If I'm good enough,

I can entertain the
kind of audiences that...

that won't be
looking at my legs.

Well, thanks for the
buttermilk and the kind words.

Did you ever stop to find
out whether he believed

what his family
said about you? No.

No, not you... You
just ran off and left.

If he really loved me,
he'd have tried to find me.

Well, try looking
at it from his side.

As far as he's concerned,
you just ran out on him.

(door clatters)

Hey, girlie.

You might like to know whatever
Mr. Cartwright buys for you

has been paid for by a dead man.

What's that supposed to mean?

The whole town's
talking about it.

There was a reward
on that dead man.

And I'm betting Cartwright
and his friend Morgan killed him

for money.

You shoot him in
the back, Cartwright?

Did you take him by surprise?

I know all about you.

You want to hear it?

You got the floor,
mister, keep talking.

I'll do that.

He's a rich kid.

Run out of money.

So he turned bounty hunter.

What's the matter, rich kid?

Didn't you get your lollipop
allowance this week?

Don't push it too far, mister.

I don't have a price on
my head, bounty hunter.

I'm not worth
$2,000, dead or alive.

If you're good
enough to shoot me,

you might find some
small change in my pocket.

Here.

Save you the trouble.

♪♪

Give me a couple of
beers, my friend's buying.

You know, loudmouth, they say

that if a man could
second-guess his mistakes,

he'd never die by accident.

I want to give you a
chance to learn that lesson.

Now, just leave
that stand there.

See, that's a very
important beer glass.

That beer glass is you.

This one's me.

See, now, the idea is to
see if you can spill my beer

before I spill yours.

Any time you're
ready, loudmouth.

Oh, you would have died
of a real bad case of slow.

Put it back.

Now drink to your good
health and your good fortune.

(lively piano music playing)

What can I get you boys?

Beer.

Same here.

What'll you have, Virg?

MAN: Whiskey.

LORNA: Something wrong?

No, no, nothing's
wrong. I, uh...

I just remembered
something I had to do, that's all.

I'll see you later.

But he threatened
to kill me, I tell you!

Well, he didn't do it, did he?

Will you quit shouting?
I got a headache.

You mean you're not gonna arrest
the man for attempted murder?

No, I'm not going
to arrest a man

for shooting up a beer
glass... providing he pays for it.

LITTLE JOE: Oh, I'll pay for it.

All right, there he is,
Sheriff, now arrest him!

Casey, will you shut up?

What's the matter, Cartwright?

You forget something?

Yeah, Sheriff, I
think maybe I did.

Uh... I just didn't want to
talk about it in front of Morgan.

Oh, I thought you and
Morgan were close friends.

Well, we are.
We're good friends,

but, uh, you know,

Morgan gets kind of carried
away with himself sometimes.

Yeah.

Well, what's on your mind?

There was just one
bullet in the dead man.

Now, who would
you say put it there?

Morgan Tanner
seemed to think he did.

Well, he's wrong.

I shot Luke Jordan.

What makes you so sure
that Morgan didn't kill him?

LITTLE JOE: He was
shooting with his left hand.

Looks like you were, too.

Come on, Sheriff. I
was born left-handed.

Morgan's new at it.

You, uh...

you wouldn't be just after
that reward money, would you?

It was my bullet that
was in Luke Jordan.

There's a reward, I'll take it.

FENTON: All $2,000 of it.

No share and
share alike, is that it?

Yeah, that's it.

Casey, will you get out of here?

The way I hear it,

you Cartwrights
own half of Nevada.

I didn't realize you
needed money that bad.

Look, the wanted
poster doesn't ask

whether I need the money or not.

It wants to know if Luke Jordan
is dead and who killed him.

I've been known to throw
reward money in the gutter

and make a bounty
hunter scramble for it.

Would you make
Morgan scramble for it?

Morgan needs
that money real bad.

He had a right to kill that man,
protecting what belongs to him.

Yeah, well, if you're looking
for justification, Sheriff,

I was protecting
what belongs to me.

And just what might that be?

My life. I was being
shot at, remember?

Yeah. Yeah, I remember.

And the way you
play with that gun,

you're liable to
get shot at again.

So, hand it over, and I'll...

I'll give it back to you
when you leave town.

Well, I'd like to keep
my gun if you don't mind.

FENTON: I mind.

There's an ordinance in
town against carrying a gun.

Come on, Sheriff. I've seen 20
men in this town packing guns.

Oh, is that so?

Well, I'll have to look
into that, Cartwright.

But the ordinance is still
on the books, so hand it over.

I'll be at the hotel. Let me
know when the money gets here.

I'll do that.

There you go, old-timer.

Thanks.

Give me a drink.

Now, listen, Casey,
you get out of here.

You caused enough trouble.

Give me a drink!

Anything else, gents?

No more to drink, but we
can use a little information.

Ain't much goes on around
this town I don't know about.

We're looking for a man...

name of Luke Jordan.

Ever hear of him?

BARTENDER: Seems I
heard the name someplace.

Mm-hmm. Well,
he's a brother of ours.

What do you know about him?

This is Elkton, ain't it?

Well, do you got something
to say about our brother?

(sighs) I think you'd
save a lot of time and all

if you had a little
talk with the sheriff.

The drinks are on the house.

I guess we won't have no
trouble finding the sheriff.

CASEY: Mister.

Didn't mean to eavesdrop,

but maybe I can
save you some time.

Well, maybe there's somebody
in Elkton don't mind talking.

Well, it's not easy to say.

Your brother's dead.

Shot.

I know the man that did it.

A bounty hunter by
the name of Cartwright.

This, uh, Cartwright...

he still here in town?

Yeah.

He's still here.

Thanks for the drinks...

and the information.

I don't know what you're
trying to prove, Sheriff,

but you sure must want
to lose a dollar awful bad.

Well, things were getting
a little boring in town.

When I get bored,
I like to gamble.

A dollar still says you
can't get three out of five.

All right, if that's
the way you want it.

Stand back, Martha.

Pay me.

Thanks, Sheriff.

Easiest dollar I ever made.

- FENTON: Hmm.
- We can use it.

- Martha.
- (Martha laughs)

Well, that's pretty
good shooting for a man

who had to learn to
shoot with his left hand.

Morgan, how are
things going around here

since that horse busted you up?

Martha and me get by.

I don't like the
way we come by it

any better than Morgan does,

but when we get
that reward money,

we're, uh, gonna get
along a sight better.

Sheriff, you didn't
come all the way out here

just to lose a dollar to me.

What's on your mind?

I kind of hate to tell
you this, Morgan,

but your friend Cartwright
changed his mind.

Changed his mind about what?

FENTON: About
sharing that reward.

Oh. Well, maybe he changed
his mind, but I haven't.

Look, Sheriff, he's gonna
take his share just like I told him.

We both fired.

Yeah, I know, but
he claims you missed.

He says you got no share
coming. He wants it all.

But how does he know
who missed and who didn't?

You'd have to ask him, Martha.

All I know is, he wants it all.

Well, you're not gonna
give it to him, are you?

Oh, I haven't yet.

I wanted to see how
good you could shoot first.

Morgan, you'll have
to come into town.

We'll file a report,
let the judge decide.

No, Sheriff. If
Little Joe thinks

that money's rightly
his, give it to him.

What?!

Martha, I never did hold to
blood money in the first place.

I'm sure not gonna
argue with a friend about it.

Morg... (chickens clucking)

Sorry, Martha.

Sometimes money can
turn a man mighty fast.

Bye.

CASEY: Sheriff?

- They're here, Sheriff.
- Who's here?

The three brothers of
that man Cartwright killed.

And they're here
after Cartwright.

There's no doubt about it.

Just how did they know it
was Cartwright they were after?

Well, because I told 'em.

Figured they were gonna
find out anyway, so I told 'em.

Casey, why don't
you go steal a horse

so I'll have an
excuse to hang you?

Maybe you didn't hear
what I said, Cartwright.

I heard you.

You must want that
reward money pretty bad.

Yep, I want it real bad.

Bad enough to face
up to three-to-one odds?

If I have to.

Cartwright, I've got a
job to do in this town,

and part of it is to keep
people from getting killed.

So why don't you do me a
favor and just get out of town?

I want the money.

FENTON: I'll send it to you.

I'll wait for it!

What good is $2,000
gonna do a dead man?

Maybe I just don't
intend being dead, Sheriff.

Oh.

(sighs)

You know, I rode out
to see Morgan Tanner.

He shoots pretty
good with his left hand.

Not good enough.

Good enough, it
could have been him

that put that bullet
in Luke Jordan.

So it might have
been him, but it wasn't.

Now, how many times
do I have to tell you that?

You've been friends with
Morgan a long time, haven't you?

A real long time.

Well, as long as
you're in my town,

I'll... I'll do what I
can to protect you.

That's my job.

But I can't be with
you all the time.

So, um...

come on by the office,
I'll give you your gun back.

Thanks.

For what?

Good luck, Cartwright.

(door closes)

(crowd chatter)

(chatter stops)

(chatter resumes)

Well, thanks for
not turning your back

and walking away when I came in.

I could never do
that to you, Joe.

Got too much respect for
you and too much gratitude.

Gratitude? What for?

This came from
Placerville last night.

Read it.

Let's sit down.

"Dearest Lorna,

"I followed you
across seven states.

"If you are running away
from me, I won't try to follow.

"But if you're running away
from yourself or my family,

"stay where you are.

"I'll find you.

"I want to marry you.

Love, Richard."

Well, you know, I couldn't
have said it better myself.

You won your point, didn't you?

Looks like I won
it just in time.

You're not making
any friends in this town,

sitting around with
a bounty hunter.

I won't buy that name, Joe.

You couldn't possibly
be brutal or mercenary.

And just what makes you so sure?

Because I saw you
provoked beyond patience

by Casey Rawlins.

If you had any
killer instinct in you,

it would have come out then.

(sighs)

Have you tried to
explain to yourself

why I cheated my friend out
of his share of the reward?

Did you have a
reason for doing it?

Yeah.

Well, then, I'm sure
it was a good one.

I'd bet my life on it.

Well, things are gonna
get a little rougher

if I have to bet mine.

What do you mean by that?

Is somebody threatening you?

No, no, but there's always
a good possibility of it.

Well, try not to worry about it.

(laughs)

Who's worried? Look at me.

Look at that right
hand... Steady as a rock.

(laughing): Just wish I
was right-handed, that's all.

(laughs)

How about a buttermilk?

Hey, Cartwright.

There are three men asking folks
if anyone knows where you are.

They're the brothers
of that man you killed.

Where are they now?

They're out there
waiting for you

near the undertaking place.

And I got a funny notion

that they're not gonna settle
for shooting at beer glasses.

♪♪

You looking for me?

Your name Joe Cartwright?

Yeah.

This here is my brother Boone.

My brother Walt.

I'm Virgil Jordan.

We come here to give our
brother Luke a Christian burial.

(wind whistling)

Kind of figured we'd send him
on his way in some new clothes.

He always liked dark suits,

only he never got
around to buying one.

I'm sorry about what happened.

Ain't your fault, Cartwright.

If Luke was shooting, you
had every right to shoot back.

Besides, I... I hear
tell he stole a horse.

They can hang a man for that.

No, I figure Luke was
lucky, just getting shot.

Sheriff, if my
brother made trouble,

if he put you out any,

I want to apologize,
because whatever he got,

he was asking for it.

Well, I know that's a hard thing
to say, coming from a brother.

Me and my brothers are
just planning to stay in town

long enough to do
what we have to do.

(wind whistling)

Mr. Cartwright,

don't trouble your
conscience none

about collecting on that money.

If Luke had a price on his head,

he put it there hisself.

(wind whistling)

(door closes)

They didn't even
raise their voices.

Well, you think
all that sweetness

and life is on the level?

I don't know. Why?

You just don't bury a brother

and then pat somebody
on the head for killing him.

Well, didn't you tell me

not to go dreaming up
trouble before it happened?

Yeah, I guess you're right.

(laughing): Yeah,
of course I'm right.

- Let's go have a beer.
- Sheriff, that sounds good.

My, uh... my heart's been up in
my throat the last few minutes.

I think a drink might get
it back where it belongs.

(Fenton chuckles)

Well, you, uh...

you can put these
clothes on him later.

Right now I wonder if we
could have a few minutes alone

with our brother.

Uh, of course. I understand.

Thank you, sir.

(door closes)

All right. Now, we're
gonna plan this,

and I don't want no slips.

You know, catching Cartwright

by himself could
be a problem, Virg.

You figured out a way for that?

We got to get rid
of the sheriff first.

Maybe we could
keep him busy, Virg,

like we did up in Fargo?

Yeah, that would work.

You do it, Boone.

Where do you figure
it ought to be, Virg?

Somewhere close to town,
where it'll draw a crowd.

And, Walt,

I want you to make
sure the undertaker

has got another pine box

just like this one.

♪♪

Maybe it would be best if
we talked about it, Martha.

This just ain't like us,
not talking things over.

I've said my say.

No, Martha, you
haven't said your say.

You're letting it
build up inside of you.

It didn't just... start
with this, Morgan.

If it's... building
up inside of me...

it's been building
for a long time.

When the well went dry

and I lost that little
patch of flowers I had.

When you promised
me those new curtains

and then you had
to spend the money

on a plow handle.

Look, honey, I don't blame you.

I know it's been hard.

But that's the point. Don't
you see that, Morgan?

I have never complained.

I have never wanted to.

I have never
figured that I had to,

because I knew that
you were doing your best.

And I kept hoping and hoping.

And even dreaming.

And now we get that chance

to make some of those
dreams come true,

and you just sit by and
let Little Joe Cartwright

walk off with money
that's rightly ours.

He must feel for
sure it was his bullet

that killed that
man. He truly must.

But at first he was going
to share and share alike.

Morgan, don't you have any idea

what a thousand dollars
would mean to us?

Yes, Martha, I know
what it would mean.

I guess it just wasn't
meant to be, that's all.

I can't accept that
answer, Morgan.

I won't accept it.

Martha, there just
ain't much we can do.

But there's something
that I can do.

I'll go into town
and I'll find Little Joe

and I'll tell him my feelings.

Now that's what I can do.

That won't do no good.

It'll do a lot more good

than standing here,
listening to a man

who won't even stand
up for his own rights.

Morgan.

Morgan, I didn't mean that.

You know I didn't.

I reckon I know that.

But it's said.

Maybe it's true.

I'll go into town
in the morning.

I'll stand up to
the sheriff and...

I'll stand up to
Little Joe, too.

I'll tell them I figure
there was as much chance

I killed Luke Jordan

as there was Little Joe done it.

Morgan,

sometimes a woman
gets so riled up,

she says a lot of things.

I know.

Maybe that's what
husbands ought to be for.

To listen when their...

when their wives get riled up.

Well, this is all you
need, Cartwright.

That telegraph
order from Tucson.

You can take it down to the
bank and get your reward.

Thank you, Sheriff. Hey, uh,
I probably won't get a chance

to stop out and see Morgan. I
wonder if you'd do me a favor.

I'm gonna leave an envelope
for him over at the hotel.

Would you see he gets it?

Yeah. Yeah, sure.

I guess you're heading
back to Virginia City, huh?

Yeah. Yeah, on my way home.

Thanks again.

You bet.

♪♪

Howdy.

Leaving town?

Yeah, I was planning on it.

How much I owe you?

That'll be a dollar.

You know, lots of
folks around here

are not gonna be sorry
you're leaving town.

Your horse is in the corral.
You want me to saddle him?

- No, never mind. I'll take care of it.
- (clanging)

What's that?

Fire. And I'm head
of the volunteers.

Oh, uh, your
gear is right there.

(people clamoring)

(door sliding closed)

(whispering): Oh, boy.

♪♪

(gunshot)

(distant cackling)

VIRGIL: Don't shoot him, Boone.

Not just yet.

BOONE: Well, I
wasn't fixin' to, Virg.

Sure do wish I could
see the fire, though.

WALT: Yeah. Wonder
how that got started?

VIRGIL: I reckon most everybody
in town'll be going to the fire,

don't you, brother Boone?

BOONE: You know, I don't reckon
there'd even be anybody around

to hear a gunshot.

(gunshot)

(creaking)

(creaking)

VIRGIL: Walt?

Walt?

BOONE: He's down, Virg.
I can see him from here.

♪♪

Look out!

Sheriff, I promise I'm
really leaving this time.

(laughs) Good-bye, Cartwright.

Hey, Morgan.

Little Joe.

How am I ever gonna thank you?

Oh, just forget it.

Remember you owe us a visit.

Hey, there's somebody else
I want to say good-bye to.

He left $2,000 at
the bank in my name.

Opened the only bank
account I've ever had.

Well, maybe he
figured it was your bullet

that killed Luke Jordan.

Sheriff.

If those men had thought I
killed him, I'd be dead now.

I wouldn't have stood
a chance against 'em.

Not even with two good arms.

Yeah, that's right.

Hey, looks like we're both
leaving town the same day.

I ran away from Richard once.

But this time I'm
running to him.

I'm going to meet
him in Dayton, Joe.

Good.

I'm happy for you.

Thanks.

Well, I guess I'd
better be on my way.

You take care.

Bye-bye.

Hyah, hyah.

Get in the corral here.

Hyah.

(Hoss grunting)

BEN: Well.

Glad to see you
back in one piece.

- About time.
- Oh. What do you mean,

about time? Pa gave me
a week off. I took a week.

Seemed like a month. I've been
doing your chores, you know.

(short laugh) That's funny, it
seems like a month to me, too.

Listen, how's, uh, Morgan
and Martha getting along?

Oh, Morgan's just fine.
The ranch looks real good.

Hey, matter of fact,
Morgan's even managed to put

a little money away in the bank.

Well, good, good.
Good to hear that. Yeah.

Anything special happen?

Anything special?

(clears throat)

Yeah. Uh, I think I'd better
tell you about it at dinner.

I'll go clean up.

Oh, I-I wanted to
ask a favor of you, Pa.

Uh, the next time I-I
ask you for a week off,

don't give it to me.

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