The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 3, Episode 26 - The Schoolteacher - full transcript

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

There was a time when you was right

to come for me, Señor Marshal.

But this time, no.

Do not arrest me.

You make one move and I kill you.

♪ Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous and bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may his story be told ♪

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp,



starring Hugh O'Brian.

For the most part, law enforcement in the west

was pretty open and uncomplicated.

With a gun at his hip,

every man was a potential criminal.

But a good peace officer like Wyatt Earp

could usually tell who were the troublemakers.

But sometimes appearances deceived

even Wyatt.

Howdy, Ed.

Howdy, Wyatt.

You come to meet the stage?

No, I'm just making the rounds.

Talking to some of the boys.



Thought maybe you heard about the shipment coming in.

Oh, valuable?

5,000.

New silver dollars, direct from the San Francisco mint.

Maybe I'll stick around.

Here it comes now.

Hey, it's running loose.

Nice work, Marshal.

Billy still alive?

Yeah, but he's hurt pretty bad.

Couple of you men get him over to Doc McCarty's quick.

Come on.

Run and tell Miss Nancy.

Miss Nancy?

The schoolteacher?

She and Billy Hanley are engaged to be married.

There's supposed to be a passenger.

He's dead.

They got it all.

I can't figure why they'd do a thing like that.

Just shoot down an innocent passenger.

And he wasn't even wearing a gun.

Yeah, and why did Billy have the boxes inside

instead of in the boot?

They're heavy.

Maybe too heavy to lift up there.

Yeah. What do you think, Wyatt?

It's no use wondering about it.

We'll wait until we can talk to Billy.

What if we can't?

If Doc can't save him?

We'll have to find out some other way.

Marshal, how is he? He isn't...

No, ma'am. The Doc says he's got a good chance.

Oh, can I see him?

Well, I think we'd better wait

until the Doc comes out.

He's in there with Billy now.

Yes, of course.

Does anyone know how...

Why it happened?

The "why" is easy. There was $5,000 on that stage.

Oh, I knew something like this would happen.

Doctor...

Calm down, Miss Nancy.

He's gonna be as good as new.

Can I see him?

Only for a minute.

We mustn't tire him.

I'd better go in first.

You?

I've got some questions I want to ask him

that are important. That is if you want me

to catch whoever shot him.

Oh yes, of course, Marshal.

Couldn't I go in with you?

I wouldn't interfere with your questions,

I assure you.

And I could look at him.

All right.

Oh, Billy, darling.

- Don't.
- Careful, Miss Nancy.

That wound's painful.

Oh, I'm sorry, darling.

Marshal.

I'll make it brief, Billy.

Did you see who did it?

Yes.

It was...

Three men.

Did you recognize them?

That's why they shot me.

They were wearing masks,

but one of them was...

Esteban Morengo.

How do you know for sure?

He had an accent.

He looked Mexican.

Besides, I saw Esteban

back at the relay station

at Rock Springs.

Him and two other men.

They were the same men.

There, Marshal. What more do you need?

Billy, if they were wearing masks,

how did they know you recognized them?

And why did they shoot you and the passenger?

Well...

So as to take no chances, I guess.

And where did they stop you?

Sandy Crossing.

Your horses ran loose all that way?

I drove them part of the way.

I passed out, I guess.

Marshal, do you have to ask all these questions?

I'll talk to you later.

Marshal?

Can I have my gun?

Why?

Well, they tried to kill me once.

Here? Oh, I don't think so, Billy.

Billy, they'd never try it here.

Besides, there's no need now.

No need?

The Marshal knows all you can tell him.

They'd never try to kill you now.

Oh, you have nothing to worry about.

Dr. McCarty and I will stay here with you

and take care of you while...

While the Marshal goes out after the man who shot you.

Who is he, Marshal?

Esteban Morengo?

He's a Mexican that's been around here for a while

working on freighters in and out of trouble.

Well, he's in real trouble now.

I have to catch him first.

Oh, buenos dias, Señorita.

Como esta?

Bien. We're closed here.

Closed?

Looks like I'm just in time for dinner.

I did not expect customers.

There is not enough.

Where's the stage man?

Quien sabe?

The stage is not due until tomorrow.

Then you're all alone?

Who's the other dinner for?

It is none of your business,

Señor Marshal.

Might be.

Do you know a man by the name of

Esteban Morengo?

Do you?

No.

Has he ever been here?

How do I know if I don't know him?

This afternoon when the stage came in,

was there a Mexican man here?

No.

There's none here now?

Do you always eat two plates of enchiladas?

Si, when I am hungry.

Andale, andale.

Es la policia. Vente.

No, I do not go.

- Por favor.
- Be quiet.

I do not run away from the policia.

Tell me, Señor Marshal,

what do you want with me?

I want to take you into Dodge City

for some questioning.

I know about questioning.

I don't know why you take me to Dodge.

You've been identified as one of three men

who robbed a stage and killed a man.

Who say this?

Stage driver, Billy Hanley.

- He lies.
- He lies.

Would I be here sitting down to eat

if I robbed a stage?

No, I'd be on my way to Mexico.

There was a time, Señor Marshal

when you was right to come for me,

but this time, no, you do not arrest me.

You make one move and I kill you.

Were you here when the stage came through?

Si. Why not?

Were two other men here?

Señor Cassidy and his brother.

Sam Cassidy?

He has a ranch near here.

Yeah, I know. South.

Señor Marshal,

I tell the truth.

I do not rob this stage.

Billy lies.

Well, maybe Billy made a mistake.

What did you do after the stage left?

Nothing.

Si, you fixed wagon for Señor Cassidy.

Oh, si.

His axle was broken.

Well, that must have taken a while.

Maybe two, three hour.

Esteban, you have an alibi.

Now, are you willing to ride down to.

Cassidy's ranch with me and verify it?

Si.

But not to Dodge.

No.

Not if it checks out.

Come on.

Wyatt, Wyatt.

Somebody shot Billy. He's dead.

We should have listened to him.

He was scared.

There was something he wanted to do.

I went out a few minutes and left him with Miss Nancy.

They must have been watching outside that window.

If only I'd turned around.

I thought I heard something.

Now, Miss Nancy,

you mustn't blame yourself.

Billy got shot as it was.

Bullet nicked the sleeve of her dress.

She was sitting right close there beside him.

I'm sorry, Miss Nancy.

He tried to tell us.

But I suppose you had no more reason to believe him

than we did.

I looked outside, Wyatt.

No footprints, the ground's too hard.

But I did find this little cartridge shell.

41 Derringer.

It was a Derringer that killed the passenger, too,

and got Billy the first time.

Same gun, probably.

Oh, Marshal,

you've got to get that man.

He must be dangerous to do a thing so terrible.

I never did like that Esteban Morengo.

It wasn't Esteban.

He was with me when it happened.

Then his confederates.

He had no confederates. He had nothing to do with the robbery

or this.

Either Billy was mistaken, or...

What?

Or Billy sent me out there on a wild goose chase.

Why?

You can't think Billy

had anything to do with the robbery.

He might have.

If he lied, he must have.

You mean he sent you out there on a wild goose chase

so he could be shot and killed?

That's true, Wyatt.

Well, that part's a puzzle.

But suppose he had been double-crossed by his pals.

He might still have hoped to get part of that loot somehow.

You know he wasn't that kind of a man.

Now why would Billy want to hold up a stagecoach?

He wasn't rich.

He was about to get married.

$5,000 would have set him up for life.

How can you cast such a stigma

on the memory of a dear dead boy

who can't defend himself?

Miss Nancy, a crime has been committed.

I've got to get at the facts.

Whatever they are, whoever they hurt.

Now they might implicate Billy,

but on the other hand they may clear him too.

I hope before you cast public suspicion on him,

you get positive proof!

That's my job, Miss Nancy.

Howdy, Miss Nancy.

Marshal.

What are you doing out here?

It's my usual way home from school.

Then you've decided to stay here in Dodge after all, huh?

No, I couldn't. There are too many memories.

I understand.

Have you found anything out yet, Marshal?

No.

Didn't find anything at Sandy Crossing.

Didn't even find a sign

that the stage had stopped there.

Maybe you were too hasty

in eliminating the Mexican.

No, I don't think so.

You...

Come by here about the same time every afternoon?

Yes.

Sometimes you see the stage?

Yes, sometimes.

You didn't see it the other afternoon?

No, no.

It was either a little earlier

or a little late. I don't know which.

Billy would always wave.

I'm sorry.

I have to ask questions because I don't have any clues.

I'm up a blind alley.

Yes, I'm sorry, too, Marshal.

U.S. mint. San Francisco.

I tell you, Billy's record was perfect.

I would have trusted him with my life.

Especially when he got engaged to Miss Nancy.

She's perfect.

You sound like you were in love with her yourself.

Well...

Every man in town is a little.

She's such a sweet pretty little thing.

Like today,

a pathetic thing.

What?

That package came for her

on the stage from San Francisco.

Got damaged a little and you can see what it is.

New dress.

Part of her wedding things, I suppose.

Oh.

Looks expensive,

but since when do they start wearing

black wedding dresses with spangles?

Probably for parties when they went back east.

Who knows?

Anyways, I...

Just can't bring myself to deliver it to her.

Well...

I'll take it to her.

I want to ask her some questions anyway.

Oh?

About Billy?

Yeah.

Well,

I'd be obliged to you if you would take it.

There's two dollars extra express charges

due on it.

You want to collect it?

Well, I...

Well, never mind. I'll waive it.

It's the least I can do for her.

I'll see you later.

Marshal.

Come in.

Thank you.

It's one Billy left here.

He was very proud of his whips.

He made them himself.

What brings you here, Marshal?

Well, I...

This package came for you today

from San Francisco.

I happened to be over at the express company.

I was coming out here anyway.

It's quite a fancy dress.

It was intended for my trousseau.

I won't need it now.

Aren't you gonna open it?

Not right now.

If it's damaged, the express company

would like to know about it.

I'll let them know if it is.

I thought women were supposed to be curious.

I'm not.

Why are you?

That dress doesn't look much like

little Miss Nancy, schoolteacher.

It wasn't intended to.

It was for my honeymoon. For my husband.

That's why I don't want to open it now.

I'd like to know Marshal what it is you're thinking.

What you're insinuating.

Nothing, Miss Nancy. I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to upset you.

But you have.

And I don't understand why.

First you suspect Billy,

and now it seems me.

Of what, I don't know.

It's only that i'm...

Trying to find any kind of a clue.

Anything that would seem strange.

Well, I don't see how my buying a new dress,

especially since it was bought weeks ago for my trousseau,

could seem strange.

No, I guess not.

Now please, go.

Oh, wait.

There's money due on this.

I'll... I'll get it for you.

That's not necessary.

I always pay my debts.

Here.

I'm sorry.

Wyatt.

You deliver it?

Yeah.

She took it pretty hard, huh?

I was afraid she would.

I guess I...

Wasn't as diplomatic as I could have been.

I wouldn't have been either.

You asked for it.

But, thanks.

Now wait a minute, she...

Paid me the express due.

Here.

Hey, wait a minute. Let me see that.

These are shiny new.

Yeah.

They're dated this year.

Must have been put in circulation

just in the last couple of weeks.

Wyatt...

This is part of the loot?

Must be.

But how did Miss Nancy come to have them?

That's what I'd like to know.

She must have gotten them from the robbers somehow.

Either that or she and Billy...

Now, Wyatt, I can't believe that.

It's possible.

But that would mean that she killed Billy.

Well, she could have.

Could have gone outside,

shot him through the window,

back inside before the Doc got there.

But the bullet tear on her sleeve.

Well, she could have done that herself.

We didn't look at it too closely, you know.

No, Wyatt.

It's also possible that she came by

these coins honestly.

It's been three days since the holdup.

Yeah.

It's possible.

I'm gonna have to find out.

Well, I didn't know you were in the habit

of breaking in on a lady's privacy.

I see you changed your mind about wearing the dress.

Yes.

How do I look?

Well, different anyway.

More like I belong south of the deadline

in one of those dance halls?

Go on, Marshal,

you can say yes. I won't be insulted.

I'll be complimented.

Because I'm a woman

just like them.

And I like everything about being a woman.

And I'm sick to death of playing the prim

little paragon of virtue.

Do you know what it's like to be a schoolteacher?

Why don't you say something? Aren't you shocked?

No.

I'm just surprised that you forgot Billy so soon.

This has nothing to do with Billy.

You said yourself no woman can resist a new dress.

Well, that's not the kind of a dress

that a husband usually approves of,

even on a honeymoon.

Of course, maybe you never even...

Planned to go on a honeymoon.

What do you mean?

You gave me this a little while ago.

It's brand new. Shiny.

Where'd you get it?

I don't know. Why?

'Cause it's part of the money that was

stolen off the stage.

How do you know that?

I know. That's enough.

Now where'd you get it?

Well, of course I...

I got from the collection.

The collection they took up

to help with Billy's funeral expenses.

Now I'll tell you a story.

You and Billy planned that holdup together.

You met him out there on the road

with your buckboard.

When Billy pulled the stage up,

one of you killed the passenger

before he knew what was happening

so he couldn't identify you.

Billy helped transfer the money over to the buckboard.

Then you had no more use for Billy.

If you had shot straight,

you might never have been found out.

You're mad.

Don't you think Billy would have told you

in the Doctor's office if I'd shot him?

He was almost scared enough.

But he must have had a reason not to.

Maybe he thought he still might get part of the loot.

Or maybe he was really in love with you.

Wouldn't have turned you in

if it meant his death.

At any rate, it did mean his death.

I suppose I did that?

Yes.

You acted loving and remorseful

until he was lulled to sleep,

then you went outside and shot him through the window

and came back before the Doctor.

That's preposterous.

Well, I can say it's just a story.

Now which one do you want to believe?

You could never prove yours in a million years.

I could if I could find 5,000 more of these

around your house here some place.

I think I can.

'Cause I don't think you ever thought

that you'd ever be under suspicion.

Wyatt, look at me.

Am I pretty?

Well, am I?

Yes.

Listen to me, Wyatt.

I never loved Billy. He was just a kid.

But you're a man and I've always admired you.

If your story was true,

if I did have that money,

you and I could go a long way together.

Go back east, Europe maybe.

We could have a lot of fun.

It could be heaven, Wyatt.

Miss Nancy, you already have a date

with a jury.

I think we'd better go.

In this dress?

Does it matter?

Yes.

Do you think I'd stand a chance

with your good folks if they saw me in this?

Let me change.

All right.

But don't try to get away.

You wouldn't make it.

I won't. Don't worry.

Don't turn around yet.

I have a gun.

A Derringer?

Yes. The same one.

Now put your hands up, please.

It was kind of stupid of me

to forget about it, wasn't it?

It was careless.

You gave me my life and I appreciate it.

I'm sorry I can't return the favor.

I know you're very good with a gun,

but mine's out and you know I can use it.

Yes, I know.

So don't try to draw.

Just turn around slowly.

Aren't you gonna shoot me in the back?

It wouldn't fit in with my story.

And what will your story be?

That I was about to retire,

heard an intruder,

shot before I saw it was you.

No one will suspect dear Miss Nancy.

Everyone will sympathize.

You're quite an actress, aren't you?

I'll have to be a little while longer,

but then I'll be gone with the money.

And I won't have to pretend ever again.

Now turn around slowly

and keep your hands up.

- You...!
- I'm sorry.

I hate to hurt a lady. Now come on.

- Wyatt, please.
- Look, if you wanted excitement and fun,

you should have stuck to schoolteaching.

It's a lot more exciting than where you're gonna have to go.

Prison. Come on.

♪ Well, he cleaned up the country ♪

♪ The old Wild West country ♪

♪ He made law and order prevail ♪

♪ And none can deny it ♪

♪ The legend of Wyatt ♪

♪ Forever will live on the trail ♪

♪ Oh, Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous and bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may his story be told ♪

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.