Maverick (1957–1962): Season 1, Episode 20 - The Savage Hills - full transcript

The fact remains he has twice
robbed and twice assaulted...

an operative of the United
States Secret Service and...

Well, he's not denying that.

So there's nothing to do
but to remove him for trial...

to the federal court
in Council Bluffs.

The prisoner will step
down and, uh, face the court.

Hello, glad to see you again.

Do you remember
Samantha Crawford...

the girl who played stud
poker according to Hoyle?

All of you who've asked to see
her again will be glad to know...

that she's co-starring with
my brother Bart, Jack Kelly...



in this week's show,
"The Savage Hills."

Oh, uh...

I understand you're moving
up to 306, Mr. Gunnerson.

- Something wrong with this one?
- Hot night.

There's more air
on the third floor.

It would have been cooler in
here if he opened that window.

Dinner's being served
in the dining room, sir.

I'm gonna sleep
first and eat later.

Boy, would you get out
here and grab my bags?

Here you are.

Thanks.

See here, young fellow,
you tell that room clerk...

I wouldn't have changed rooms
if I wanted everybody to know.

You hear me? Mm-hm.



- Now, can you hear me?
- I hear you, Mr. Gunnerson.

Don't move.

Well...

Hello.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Why, I declare, but I seem to
be in the wrong room, don't I?

Yes, ma'am, ha, ha, with
your hand in the wrong pocket.

Oh, ha, ha.

Oh, this is ridiculous.

Oh, well, I naturally thought
you were my husband...

and I naturally go through
his pockets every night, ha, ha.

Naturally.

Uh, but with a gun in your hand?

- Well, one can't be too careful, can one?
- True.

One never knows who might come
sneaking into one's room, does one?

Oh, now, see here.

Why, do you, by any chance think
that I purposely came into your room...

- with the intent of robbing you?
- Yes, ma'am.

Well, I declare this is a
most humiliating experience.

I think I just better run along
now before I lose my temper.

Think you better
stay right here.

Really, sir, I have
no intention of staying

in a strange hotel room
with a strange man.

I'll tell you what.

You stay and I'll go.

Whatever for?

The sheriff, ma'am.
He's right downstairs.

Oh, honestly, aren't you
carrying this joke a little too far?

Well, my sense of humor
does get away from me.

I wouldn't want
you to do the same.

All right. We're going to
settle this thing right now.

I'll go see the
sheriff with you.

Oh, now, that's very
generous of you, ma'am.

But, uh, if you left the room, I'd
have no proof you broke in, would I?

You, sir, are no gentleman.

Why, you're finding
out about me already.

I'll just lock the
evidence in...

bring the sheriff up...

and, uh, your husband,
he can bail you out.

- How's that?
- Oh.

Um, um...

I did tell just one tiny fib.

No.

Um, I'm not married.

Uh, oh.

Does that make a
difference, ha, ha?

Yes.

Means your husband
can't bail you out.

By the way, that's a
two-story drop out the window.

You could crush quite a
few magnolia pedals if you try.

Samantha Crawford.

Thirty-one hundred
dollars and 50 cents.

Samantha Crawford.

Well, I thought you
were bringing the sheriff.

I see.

Uh, variations on a
familiar theme, is that it?

Oh, oh, this? Oh.

I was just gonna tell him that
you and me had a little old spat...

and you got in a big snit
and walked out on me.

Oh, honey, you're
full of fun tonight.

But why?

Samantha Crawford
has $3100 in the bank.

So you don't need the money, and
you've got just about everything else.

So, what did you want from me?

Oh, you're a sly one,
Mr. Gunnerson, as if you didn't know.

Would it make any difference
that I'm not Mr. Gunnerson?

Well, it most certainly would.

Well, I'm most certainly not.

Well, that isn't fair.

Well, then you're here
under false pretenses.

Aren't we all?

Gunnerson did have this suite,
but he moved out and I moved in.

- My name is Bart Maverick.
- Maverick.

- Sound familiar?
- Oh, no. No, no.

Oh, well, it is an odd one.

Ha, ha, I thought
mavericks had four legs.

A couple of us have two
each. Me and my brother, Bret.

But your name
does sound familiar.

- I could have heard it from him.
- Oh, I doubt that.

Let's talk about Mr. Gunnerson.
Do you know where he is?

Yeah.

Where?

Before I tell you, I better find out why
you're so eager to pick his pockets?

I suppose I may as well tell
you. I have nothing to hide.

Well, I wouldn't say that.

But go on.

All right.

Well, it just so happens, Mr. Maverick,
that I'm with the Secret Service.

- Of course, undercover work.
- Oh, don't be so smug.

Rip open the lining to my purse.
There you'll find my credentials.

Just doesn't make
sense, Samantha.

If you're a federal agent, you
wouldn't be ducking a local sheriff.

Oh, fiddlesticks.

If I let him know who I am, he'd
want to chisel in on the reward.

Reward?

- For what, Gunnerson?
- No, no. He's not important.

Two months ago, we broke up a ring that
was putting out counterfeit treasuries.

Gunnerson got away
with the engraving plates.

The reward's for the
recovering of the plates.

- You believe me, don't you?
- No, ma'am.

But I could be convinced
if we find those plates.

- We?
- That's right.

And I'm even willing to
share the reward fifty-fifty.

Fifty-fifty?

Should've taken your
chances with the sheriff, Sam.

Well, I don't intend to split
any reward money with you.

That's too bad, because I'd have
to go after those plates myself...

if I wanted to check
up on your story.

And I just hate putting myself in
any trouble that doesn't turn a profit.

Besides, I know where
Gunnerson is and you don't.

Then I'll just follow you.

Fair enough.

Of course, you're gonna look a bit
peculiar traipsing through the halls, um...

out of uniform.

Seem to have me
at a disadvantage, sir.

Do we have a deal?

We have a deal.

Catch.

This girl comes to your
hotel room, tries to rob you...

you go for the sheriff,
she hops into bed.

You come back, she tells you she's a
Secret Service agent and I'm a crook.

So you team up with her to rob me to, uh,
get the reward, is that the way it goes?

I wish I could say no.

She sure must have
been a charmer.

Dripping honeysuckle,
Mr. Gunnerson.

She didn't tell me you
were a Secret Service agent.

You still say you don't
know where she is.

That's right.

Well, I think you do.

And I intend to find out
because I have to find out.

You'll know why when
you take a look at this.

Nice.

That's not Samantha.

Didn't say it was.
That's my wife.

Oh.

Name's Norah.

- Lovely girl.
- Ha, ha, yes, sir.

Six months married.
Still a bride, Norah is.

Uh, you're wondering
why a lovely girl like

that should marry an
old duffer like myself?

Well, uh, some girls
prefer the mature type.

- Don't be nice. It doesn't suit you.
- Sorry.

I, uh, wonder myself...

and I figured I just got lucky.

But getting lucky and staying
lucky are different things.

That's right.

What I mean is, there comes a
time when the honeymoon is over...

when she takes a look
at what she's married...

and knows what a
big mistake she made.

I don't know.

You may have endearing
qualities I haven't seen.

I don't.

Besides, Norah doesn't care for
endearing quality. She cares for money.

Now, that's the most
endearing quality of all.

So I figure if I'm gonna hold
on to her, I've gotta have money.

- The reward money, for instance.
- Right.

I figure you cost me that.

Ten thousand dollars.

What's more important, I figure you may
have cost me a desk job in Washington...

where I could come
home every night to Norah.

And it could end up
that you cost me Norah.

- What's all this gonna cost me?
- Twenty years.

Or you can tell me
where I can catch up

with Samantha, and
I'll get you out with 10.

No.

No deal, Mr. Gunnerson.

I wanna catch up with her
as much as you do, and I lied.

I do know where Samantha is.

But if I take you to her and
we get those plates back...

I still want my half
of the reward, $5000.

Fifty-fifty? What kind of
a fool do you take me for?

It means more than 5000 to
you, the desk job, Washington...

- going home to Norah every night?
- Hmm.

Now, think about it,
Mr. Gunnerson, but think fast.

We may still have time to
catch her if we leave now.

All right. It's a deal.

If we don't get those
plates, you'll get...

I know, I know, 20 years.

Get me out of here.

Now what do we do?

Well, we might wave goodbye.

- Where's she heading?
- Ticket said Grand Isle.

The next steam boat
stop is Whetstone.

We can telegraph Samantha's
description to the sheriff.

You'll get no
description out of me.

Look, Gunnerson, we don't want some
local constable cutting in on that reward.

Might even be two of them.

We'd be lucky to end
up with a four-way split.

You got a better way?

Well, the Missouri swings a lot of
wide loops between here and Whetstone.

Cutting cross country is 50
miles shorter, but it's a hard ride.

If we change horses
at Red Cloud...

we might catch the Western Belle
before she pulls out of Whetstone.

And if we don't?

Tsk, well, then I will give
you Samantha's description...

and you can wire ahead
to the law at Council Bluffs.

You're idea's aren't all
bad, Maverick. Let's go.

Samantha.

Well, I beg your pardon,
sir. Were you addressing me?

Samantha, I'd like you
to meet Mr. Gunnerson.

You two have so
much in common...

both being members of
the Secret Service and all.

I declare, I don't have the faintest
notion what you're talking about.

- Have we been formally introduced?
- Ha, ha, informally.

Look, young lady, you either have those
plates in your cabin or on your person.

You hand them over, or Maverick is
gonna search your cabin while I search you.

It's fifty-fifty, Gunnerson.

Oh, those silly old plates, is
that what you're talking about?

Have you got them on you?

Oh, well, yes, I do.

But I would have to disrobe.

Oh, not again, Sam.

And you boys wouldn't want me
catching a nasty old chill, would you?

You and Mrs. Gunnerson will probably
be spending Christmas in Washington.

I've never been to Washington.

I figured that.

Treasury's still there.

Samantha must
have missed it too.

Samantha? Samantha?

Samantha?

Samantha! Samantha!

Gunnerson? Gunnerson, wake up!

All right, Sam!

Let's have those plates.

Let me go! I don't have the
plates. I lost them in the river.

The only thing you lost
is that southern accent.

You gonna hand over those plates
or do we pick up where we left off...

without benefit of screen?

All right. You win.

Ooh, a lot of good
they're gonna do us now.

With no food, no weapons.

The Sioux and the Cheyenne
are running wild over the territory.

- Some fine mess you got us into.
- Me?

I didn't tell you to
jump off that boat.

Well, I wouldn't have had to if
you hadn't been such a poor loser.

Well, we're both in the same
boat now or not in it, if you prefer.

- So, what do we do?
- Start walking.

- Walking to where?
- The nearest white settlement.

You were headed for
it anyway, Grand Isle.

That's over 200 miles away.

Oh, by river boat, it's
less than 100 by foot.

Well, I can't go like
this. I'm soaking wet.

Well, uh, stay
here till sunup then.

The Indians will
hang you up to dry.

Hey. Hey, wait for me.

Oh.

- What's the matter?
- Ooh.

Oh, now look.

Oh.

Well, that's easy to fix.

Ah.

Oh, you are ingenious.

- Sure. Now you won't lift.
- I can't walk without heels.

Well, you can walk on your toes.

That's what the Indians do.

Indians?

Bart?

Bart?

Bart?

Bart?

- Aah!
- Shh.

Would you shush? It's Bart.

Where did you go?

You trying to tell the
whole Sioux nation?

I went hunting, and lucky too.

- Oh, you mean we eat?
- We eat.

Come on, I'll show you.

Let's get out of here.

- There it is.
- That isn't Delmonico's. What is it?

It's a Sioux death
lodge, a new one.

That red blanket
covers a dead warrior.

Please, do you mind if we skip the
picturesque customs of the natives?

- Subject under discussion was food.
- It's in the bag.

The Sioux believe it's a
long journey to wanagi yata.

That's their heaven.

They leave food for the dead
brave, so he won't starve on the way.

- Ooh, better him than us.
- Leave it, Samantha.

They catch us robbing their
death lodge, it won't be any picnic.

What would they do?

Oh, stake us out in the sun,
where the ants could eat us.

Sounds a little bit
like a picnic at that.

Oh...

Stay right here.

Come on, let's go.

Well, here's where we eat.

- You sure it's all right?
- Of course.

The head waiter
is a friend of mine.

Now, we can start on this
while the champagne's cooling.

- It's delicious. What is it?
- Pemmican.

Buffalo meat.

Well, what's for breakfast?

Oh, I have all your favorites.

- Scrambled eggs...
- Ah...

- baked ham and pineapple...
- Mm.

Blueberry muffins,
apple fritters.

And guess what.

- Oh, not pemmican.
- Pemmican.

- Oh, you thought of everything.
- Ha, ha.

I knew you'd be pleased.

- It's not a wolf, is it?
- No.

What's he saying?

He's picked up our trail.

He's alone, and he's
looking for the others.

You all right?

Do you think we threw
them off our trail, Bart?

We'll never do that
unless we stop leaving one.

What's the use?
Only birds do that.

Or fish.

More water?

Well, the Niobrara River
can't be far from here.

We might find a log, float
downstream a couple of miles...

and cross to the other side.

Hey, do you think
you can make it?

Do I have any choice?

At least they're dry again. I
can't think of anything nicer.

I'll settle for a good cigar.

Oh, that reminds me. What
did you do with your matches?

They're in the coat.

They're no good. I don't
know why I kept them.

I'm going to spread them
out here very carefully.

Oh, don't bother,
Sam, they're dead.

There might be enough sulfur
left to strike once they dry off.

Still no cigar.

Hemlock leaves rolled tight.

You'll think you're in Havana.

Hey, you haven't spent
all your life indoors.

No. No, my parents moved west
with a wagon train out of Springfield.

We settled in Dakota
when I was 5...

and they were killed by
Arapaho when I was 12.

If there's one thing
I've learned, it's survival.

That explains a
lot of things, Sam.

Heh, what about you? How
did you learn about Indians?

Oh, I had to.

My brother and I were
galvanized Yankees.

We volunteered to be Indian
fighters to get out of the Yankee prison.

In two years, if didn't learn
about Indians, you were dead.

- Where's your brother now?
- Oh, he's around St. Louis somewhere...

trying to pick up an honest
dollar playing poker and such, heh.

Oh, Bret, he sure...

Poker.

That's it. That's where
I heard your name.

I heard it from Bret.

You took him at poker with a
pair of nines against his straight.

Oh, that's right, because
according to Hoyle...

I know. Straights are not
played in five-card stud...

unless it's agreed to
at the start of the game.

And you took Bret for
20,000 with that little stunt.

- Ha, ha, you're not mad?
- Mad?

I think it's wonderful
beating Bret at his own game.

Samantha, if your name registered
at that hotel, I'd have run for cover.

I'm glad you didn't.

They're here.

Duck into those
bushes, I'll draw them off.

- No.
- Shh.

Stay there till you
hear them howling...

then start running and keep
on running straight south.

- Now, get going.
- Oh!

What are you saving
me for? Sacrifice?

No English.

Sam.

I thought I told you to clear out.
Why did you do a fool thing like this?

The plates, you still have them.

Thanks, Sam.

Thanks a lot.

That other one will be back.

He knows we've
got the rifle now.

He's after those
horses. We need them.

Stick close.

Take it easy. We don't
wanna scare them.

I'm gonna try for the horses.

I couldn't shoot. He
was on top of you.

You did all right for one night.

That third brave is probably
out after the rest of the war party.

We gotta get out of here.

I wanna take that
Indian's leather britches.

- What for?
- For you.

You don't think I'll
wear those filthy things?

No saddles. We'd be riding
bareback. You'll be glad you did.

Well, I won't, that's final.

Bullet just parted the hair.

There, that looks better.

It's long, but it isn't
deep. How does it feel?

Like a war dance inside.

Here, let me help.

Feel better?

Mm-hm.

- Samantha.
- Mm-hm.

What were you gonna
do with those plates?

Turn them over to the federal
agent for the reward, what else?

Your ticket said Grand Isle...

and that's way out in
the middle of nowhere.

What's the attraction out there?

Now, come on,
Samantha, no secrets.

- Not after all we've been through.
- I can't tell you, Bart.

Why not?

Because I can't lie to you.

- Since when?
- It's true. Don't ask me when.

Lot of things have
changed the past few days.

Isn't it possible I may
have changed too?

I'd like to believe that.

Even harder for me to believe.

Lately I find myself wanting
things I never really wanted before.

Like a rose-covered
cottage, patter of tiny feet?

Sounds pretty
foolish, doesn't it?

I don't know.

It might be cheaper for the
Mavericks if they had you in the family.

Good night, Bart.

Good night.

Brother Bret...

shake hands with Brother Bart.

Evening.

You got a Miss Samantha
Crawford staying here?

No, sir. We don't cater to single
females unless their folks are with them.

This is a respectable
hotel, mister.

You, uh, might try
the Red Dog Saloon

across the square,
they ain't so particular.

No. She's not here,
she's not there.

She'd only stay
at the best hotel.

Well, I'll take a room
and a tub full of hot water.

That'll be three dollars for the
room, six bits for the hot water...

in advance.

All right, but send up some
food, coffee, bread and butter...

some potatoes, and a
big, thick, juicy steak.

Buffalo or steer meat?

Anything but buffalo.

You can cancel that order.

Well, Gunnerson, ha,
ha, fancy running into you.

Here's your man,
marshal. Take him away.

Your Honor, it's just a little,
general, all-around misunderstanding.

When I first broke in on Mr. Gunnerson,
I thought he was a crook, a counterfeiter.

As a matter of
fact, Your Honor...

I thought I was performing
a service for my country.

Yes, yes, yes.

But you do admit to
Mr. Gunnerson's charge...

of armed entry, robbery and
assault in the hotel in Pierre?

Yes, Your Honor.

But when I explained to
Mr. Gunnerson, he understood.

The fact remains he has twice
robbed and twice assaulted...

an operative of the United
States Secret Service...

Well, he's not denying that.

So there's nothing to do
but to remove him for trial...

to the federal court
in Council Bluffs.

The prisoner will step
down and face the court.

Order.

Order in the court.

Order. Order in the court.

Young lady, what's the
meaning of this intrusion?

Well, Your Honor, I wish to
testify on behalf of the prisoner.

Well.

Well, and what is
your name, little lady?

Samantha Crawford.

Well.

Well, Ms. Crawford...

from what I've been
told by Mr. Gunnerson...

um, I'm mighty interested
to hear your story.

If you'll, uh, take a chair
in the witness stand...

the clerk can swear you in.

You're so kind, judge.

You're a southern
gentleman, aren't you?

Yes. Atlanta, ma'am.

- And you?
- Savannah, judge.

Swear to tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but?

I do indeed.

Your Honor, this is the young
woman who stole the plates.

Hold your tongue, sir.

The court will do
the questioning here.

And now, my dear, you
understand that this not a trial.

It's just a preliminary hearing.

So you just feel free to tell
the story in your own way.

Thank you, judge.

Well, I admit Mr. Maverick
is a little mischievous.

But he certainly isn't
guilty of any old crime.

I did talk him into helping me steal the
engraving plates from Mr. Gunnerson.

And when and Mr. Gunnerson
found me on that boat...

well, he just had two thoughts
in his pretty little old head.

One was to make me give the
plates back to Mr. Gunnerson...

the other was to
take half the reward.

So when I jumped overboard,
he just naturally followed.

Oh, naturally, ha, ha.

Any man would
have done the same.

- Ha-ha-ha.
- Thank you, judge.

Well, he did catch up with me, and
he made me give him back the plates...

but I got them back again.

Your Honor, she admits robbing a
member of the U.S. Secret Service.

Furthermore...

I'm sorry.

My dear, you had no
business doing that, little lady...

that, I must tell you,
is a criminal offense.

Fiddle-dee-dee, how did I know he
was a member of the Secret Service?

Why, I thought he was a crook.

Tell me, son...

would this little lady have any way
of knowing that you weren't a crook?

Well, no.

Uh, I was posing as a
member of the counterfeit gang.

Well, then you can't very well blame
her for thinking you were one, can you?

Well, no.

I knew he had those plates.
I'd been following him for weeks.

Sit down, Gunnerson.

I did need that reward money...

and I did mean to turn the
plates over to the right people.

Of course, you did, my dear.

It was an honest mistake.

She couldn't make
an honest mistake.

Silent, sir.

One more outburst from you, I'll
find you in contempt of court, sir.

Thank you, my dear. You
may step down now, ha, ha.

Are you letting her walk
out of here with the plates?

Well, I think you better turn
the plates over to Mr. Gunnerson.

Your Honor, I'm afraid I lost
the plates in the Elkhorn River.

My horse threw me.
I almost drowned.

Hey, now, now. No, my
dear, there's no need to cry.

None at all.

The engraving plates are
at the bottom of the river...

so that puts an end
to counterfeit, hmm?

And more than that, it saves the
government $10,000 in reward money.

You are a very brave and
forthright little lady, Ms. Crawford.

And it's been an honor to
make your acquaintance.

Thank you, judge.

You're a real gentleman.

Yes, Atlanta, ma'am.

Mr. Maverick...

it's the opinion of this court,
considering the lack of evidence...

that no United States attorney
could make these charges stand.

So I'm dismissing.

- Uh, you are free to go, sir.
- Thank you, Your Honor.

Well, don't give
up yet, Gunnerson.

You may still get that desk job.

You think she's
still got the plates?

I don't know.

But if I was a gambling man,
and I am, I'd call her bluff.

Oh, Samantha.

I'm sorry I wasn't here when
you called yesterday afternoon.

- I arrived only last night.
- Heh.

Mr. Palmer, you didn't tell me that
Mr. Gunnerson was a Secret Service agent.

I didn't want to alarm you.

- Did you get the plates?
- Do you have the 15,000?

Ah, first, the plates.

Of course, excuse me.

If you don't mind,
Mr. Palmer, I'm in a hurry.

Mr. Gunnerson's in
town and looking for me.

I'm aware of that.

But first, I like to
see what I'm buying.

It's an old habit of mine.

Samantha.

It's your own fault for hiring
me under false pretenses.

I hired you because nobody in the world
is more successfully dishonest than you.

But trying to palm off
blank plates on me...

that isn't very clever.

The plates, Samantha.

The real ones.

I'm turning the real
plates in for the reward.

Then what was
the purpose of this?

Mr. Palmer, you promised
me $15,000 to do a job.

You lied to me. But
I earned that money.

This was my way
of collecting it.

- Search her, George.
- I wouldn't try that, George.

I'll take that
15,000, Mr. Palmer.

Drop it, Samantha.

- I can explain everything.
- Sure you can.

Well, well, well, if it isn't
my old friend, Bogus Benson.

Why, we thought you'd
escaped to South America, ha, ha.

This'll give me that desk
job, Maverick, thanks.

What happened,
Sam, thieves fall out?

Of course not. This man promised to
pay me 15,000 to recover the plates.

Incredible as it may
seem, she's telling the truth.

I told her I knew how to
boost that reward to 50,000.

And was willing to gamble
15,000 on her efforts.

Now, Sam, surely you couldn't
still think he was after the reward...

- when you brought the plates here.
- No.

I came to collect what
he owes me for my trouble.

I'd have done it if
you hadn't butted in.

Ha, ha, that's a likely story.

All right. The plates are
right here. Have a look.

Keep them covered,
Gunnerson. She's gone again.

Well, now, I...

Oh.

I'm so tired of getting wet.

I'm so tired of chasing
after those plates, Sam.

Sure you won't change your
mind, come to St. Louis with me?

St. Louis has troubles
enough without the both of us.

What are you gonna do
with all that reward money?

Oh, um...

Invest it.

Small game of whist here,
maybe some cribbage there.

All aboard.

Goodbye, Samantha.

Goodbye, darling.

Don't forget me.

Samantha, how could you?

Bye, darling.

Oh, say hello to
Brother Bret for me.

He'll remember me too.