The Young Riders (1989–1992): Season 3, Episode 15 - Mask of Fear - full transcript

When a Polish immigrant returns to town after spending 5 years in prison for killing his wife causes fear in the townspeople, especially after the blacksmith, whose testimony was instrumental in convincing the judge to convict the man, ends up dead.

Whoa! Whoa!

County line.

You know where you're headed?

Guess you probably do,
since you've had five years
to think about it.

Just take my advice
and stay clear of rock creek.

I did not ask your advice.

Come on!

Afternoon.

It's only nine.

So you're only three hours late.

Well, I had some schooling
I needed to finish.



You told me you were going to
be doing your studying
at night.

I was. This schooling is
taking up a lot of my time.

So is that pretty little
Johnson girl you
were seeing last night.

You saw that, did ya?

Son, most of the folks in this
town think I was crazy

taking on a kid didn't
know the first thing
about responsibility.

I thought maybe
I'd prove them wrong.
With your help.

- I work hard.
- When you're here.

But it isn't nearly enough.
I've got enough work here
for the both of us,

only one of us seems
to be doing it.

Lad, there's nothing more
important than getting
an education.

If it comes to you choosing
between here and school,

I'm gonna boot you right
straight outta here back
to the school house.

I'll hire somebody else.



You saying you'd let me go?

Well, most people would.

But I've never been one to
let other people make up
my mind for me.

Thanks.

Now, get back to work!
And don't make a fool
out of me!

What do you have?

- Fourteen.
- Very good, Cynthia.

What about you, Charlie?

Nine! Absolutely right!

What do you got, Jesse?

Full house.

Jesse, we're learning
addition here, not poker.

Seems to me the two are related.

Jesse.

Seventeen. Aces over sevens.

I think that's enough for
today, especially from you.

Contrary to the belief of
Mr. Jesse James, here,

arithmetic will serve you
in other places besides
a gambling hall.

We'll continue practicing
tomorrow.

- Come on!
- Hey, Luke, come on...

Miss Barrett, would you
be so kind as to hand
out those readers?

Sure.

- I can't do that
I have chores.
- Well...

There you go, there you go.

- See you tomorrow!
- Wait for me!

- Oh, ran out of books.
- See ya!

Uh-uh, uh, did you
forget something?

I appreciate you helping
us load, elroy.

Aw, heck, with all the
business you express boys have
thrown my way,

I ought to be making deliveries.

Oh, now that's an idea.

Maybe tompkins will oblige.

Uh-huh.

He's always been
real willing to do us favors.

Well, he did follow us all
the way back from Sweetwater,
didn't he?

You call that a favor?

We didn't forget
anything, did we?

No, we've got everything
on Rachel's list.

Well, that's the last of it.

Could you put this
on our account, elroy?

Marshall!

What's got into him?

Marshal hunter!

I really do appreciate you
giving me the chance
to help out at the school.

Feels good to be out
of the house.

I like having you there.
You're really great
with the children.

Well, I've always loved them.

Now, I'm surprised you
and Mr. Barrett haven't
started a family yourself.

Well, we've talked about it,
but it never seemed
to be the right time,

with Walter being so busy
at the bank and all.

There he is, marshal!
That's him over there!

Hold on just a minute there.

What's going on here?

I get my money.

You wouldn't happen to be
getting anybody else's,
would ya?

The fella here seems to think
you're robbing the bank.

He is wrong.

Everything all right,
Mr. Barrett?

Everything's fine, marshal.
The man's just leaving.

He's not going
to be coming back.

I go where I want now.

Walter, I was so worried
when I saw him coming
out of the bank.

Somebody's got
some explaining to do.

I think I'll start with you.

Manslaughter?

Teaspoon told me
janusz tarkoski spent five
years in prison. Just got out.

What kind of name is that?

Sounds like something on one
of Rachel's spelling bees.

Tarkoski and his wife came
here seven years ago
from a place called Poland.

Settled on a farm right
outside of town.

Soon after they got here,
there was a fire and
tarkoski's wife died.

And he was
arrested the next day.

What would bring a man to
do something like that?

No one knows.

Witnesses saw
him drunk in the saloon
the night of the fire.

Said he was in a foul mood.
Jury took less than
a day to convict him.

Well, why would he
come back here?

Seems like the last place
I'd want to be.

Ruth's husband said he had
only five dollars in the bank,
but he still had his land.

Where else was the
man supposed to go?

Some place where people
didn't turn their backs
on him.

He did his time, Jimmy.

Maybe he counted on people
giving him a second chance.

Unless he does
something wrong that's exactly
what all of us owe him.

You can take your business
elsewhere. Your money
is no good here.

We got company.

Janusz.

Mr. Furey.

I need your help.

You're talking English.

I had five years to study.

I have broken plow.
Need you to fix it.

I'm more than happy
to help you out

but it's going to be
some time before I can
take a look at it.

Just like everyone else,
you refuse my money?

- I didn't say that.
- You meant it.

I'm very busy.

Too busy for me, huh?

From someone
who's learning English,

you ought to
listen a little more to
what's being said.

You stay out of this, lad.
This is between the two of us.

Look, I'm telling you the truth,

I've got more business
than I've ever had.

You're just going to have
to wait like everyone else.

But I'm not like
everyone else, am I?

I am a murderer.

That's what you think.
It's what you said!

I never said that.
I told them what I saw.

You saw nothing.

But you told them everything!

You put me in jail
for five years.

I wasn't the only one
who had something
to say at that trial.

I know that.

How could I forget?

None of you will let me forget.

Where's the fire, son?

In my pants, if I don't get
to work on time.

Well, that'd be
something to see.

Six o'clock on the button!

Furey?

Furey?

Teaspoon!

Teaspoon!

How come you haven't put
tarkoski in jail yet?

We all know he killed furey.

Anyone see him do it?

No. But we all heard about
the two of them nearly
coming to blows.

That's right.

I see. Where did you hear
a thing like that?

From that Jesse James fellah.

That figures.

Marshal, the day
that tarkoski fellah
got off the boat

was a bad day for rock creek.

That's right. Tarkoski coming
back here puts all
our lives in danger.

Now, what makes you think that?

Because we're the ones
who put him in jail. Me and
Barrett and Gibson, and furey.

Yeah, tarkoski was in
my saloon drinking
the bar dry.

He got so ornery,
I had to kick him out.

The four of us testified and
the judge sent him to prison.

And now he's back
taking his revenge on us.

- Yeah! That's right.
- All right.

Settle down!

I'm going out to visit
tarkoski shortly.

And if you know what's
good for you, you'll let me
handle this.

Things are hot enough around
here without you poking in.

Now, just break it up.

You want me to get a noose
to take with us?

Jesse, you'll be staying
here when I talk to tarkoski.

Furey was my friend, teaspoon.

I know that, son.

If I find anything linking
tarkoski with his death,

he'll be behind them bars
quicker than you can spit.

But the best thing for you
to do right now is,

well, grieve for your friend.

What good is that gonna do?
It ain't gonna bring him back.

Nope.

But it might make
you feel better.

It'll take a lot more than that.

Tarkoski. I want to talk to
you about Liam furey.

We had words. That is all.

I heard you was all riled up.

Hey! Marshal's talking to you!

Jimmy.

Furey's dead and everybody
else thinks you got something
to do with it. Including me.

Then I would waste
my breath, no?

Well, we ain't all made up
our minds. Why don't you try
telling me your story?

Five years ago I spoke
no English. Now, for me,
things are different.

But people in this town,
they are the same.

They still do not want
to listen to janusz tarkoski.

Well, I'll tell you what,
I'll listen to you.

Tell me what happened
to your hand there.

Why don't you ask those in town.

I'm sure they have the answer.

Let's go.

There's a tough fellah
to figure out.

And he don't make it any easier.

Why don't you put him in jail?

Why is it I keep having
to explain to people

that I don't arrest somebody
when there ain't no evidence?

Teaspoon, I just thought...

No, you didn't, Jimmy.

Nobody saw that fellah
anywhere near furey
last night.

And I ain't gonna take him in
just 'cause he don't want
to talk to us.

Let's get out of here.

- Hi!
- Hurry up!

Good morning, Mrs. Barrett.

Hi, Mrs. Barrett.

I got a whipping last night.

I hope you've been
practicing your addition.

I might give you a test.

Yes, Cynthia.

My momma says that
I shouldn't be playing
with cards.

She says that I might
become a gambler.

Well, you tell your mother
that we're still short
of supplies here

at the school
ever since the fire.

And that we're not playing
with cards, we're learning.

Addition is very important.

Subtraction's what
we ought to be talking about.

I don't think the class
is ready for that one yet.

Well, the town is.

A friend of mine was killed
last night and we're wasting
time talking about arithmetic.

Maybe you're right.
Maybe we should talk about it.

We oughta go string
ourselves up a killer,
is what we oughta do.

Jesse, I'm sure
teaspoon will do whatever
he thinks is best.

Teaspoon ain't doing nothing!
And I'm tired of waiting!

Jesse.

If people took the time
to think before they acted,

they'd realize that violence
never leads to anything,

except more pain
and more suffering.

Well, you should
tell that to furey!

He never raised a hand
to nobody and look
what happened to him!

Jesse! Jesse! Jesse!

- What's happening?
- Let him go, Ruth.

I want you all to think about
what Ruth just said.

It may be the most valuable
lesson you'll ever learn.

Jesse's in a lot of pain
right now.

And the best thing we can do
to help him out is to realize
the truth in Ruth's words.

Whoa! Whoa!

Gimme that gun, before you
end up in the same shape
you thought I was.

That's a mighty fine horse.

The price he brings,
I might stay off my belly
for a week.

Take your horse and leave!

Yeah!

You lucky that
old thing went off.

Good thing for me you came
riding through here.

I come here often.
But I do not think
of luck when I come.

What's your name?

Janusz tarkoski.

Name's Noah Dixon.

It might have been chiseled
on a headstone if you hadn't
come along.

How can I thank you?

That was real nice what
you said to Jesse today.

If he wasn't so hurt
and so stubborn,
he'd have known it, too.

Well, I just hate to see
someone use violence as a way
to solve their problems.

Mr. Tarkoski coming to town

seems to have led a lot
of people to that conclusion.
Hadn't it?

Why don't you talk
to me about it, Ruth?

What?

You don't have to hide
your feelings from me.

Listen, I know your husband
was one of the men who
put Mr. Tarkoski in jail.

Now what happened to furey
must have scared you
as much as it hurt Jesse.

These past five years,

sometimes I don't know
how I got through them.

I've thought about it
every day since they
took janusz away.

Not that I didn't
believe he was guilty,
it's just that...

Did you know five years ago,
janusz couldn't speak a word
of English?

No.

He couldn't even defend
himself at his own trial.

It was just the word
of Walter and furey
and two of the others.

It just doesn't seem right,

janusz not being able
to tell his side of the story.

I always feel bad for people
who can't defend themselves.

Ruth.

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

Just pray no one else gets hurt.

I'm sure Walter will be fine.

So am I. Rachel, I...

- I really need to...
- Ruth?

Miss Dunn, I hope I didn't
interrupt anything important.

Oh, no, no, no.
We're just going over
tomorrow's lesson.

Well, we ought to be going home.

Quite right.

- Good day, Rachel.
- Good day.

Ruth?

You take care.

Hey, Noah. What are you doing?

- Ain't the station's
regular supply day.
- Yep.

These ain't ours.

Who are they for?

Now, it is my turn to thank you.

I told you, I wasn't doing
business with you!

What are you helping him for?

Man saved my life, Jesse.
That's the least I could do.

Yeah? Well, he killed furey!
Come back here, damn you!

What the hell is going
on here now, Jesse?

Furey was murdered last night!

Janusz was arguing with him
earlier and everyone knows
who killed him!

Everyone except you.
Come back! Come back!

- Let go of me!
- Wait a minute!

Now, if janusz killed
somebody, teaspoon would
have locked him up.

Teaspoon don't care!
Nobody cares except me!
Now let me go!

- Wait a minute now...
- Let me go!

Oh.

Oh!

The boy's got to learn
he can't use his fists

every time he don't get his way.

He's got a point, Jesse.

Especially when you're
trying to fight someone
twice your size.

Just leave me alone!

Looks like I missed
a lot being gone.

Sorry I'm late.
My wife didn't want
me to come.

Took a bit of convincing.

They always do.

We've agreed
to do it after sundown,
tomorrow.

You sure we're doing
the right thing?

Tarkoski is out there.
We got to get
him before he gets us.

Now, you boys don't
have to throw in with us.

You're not the ones he's after.

But we'd appreciate
any help we can get.

- All right.
- We'll be there.

- Let me go!
- You sit down and be quiet!

I know what you're
thinking, Jesse...

- I'll bet.
- Because I've been thinking
the same thing myself.

So why are you out
here instead of inside
there?

It's because I've been
in rooms like that before.

And I'm telling you
it's a whole lot easier

walking in that door
than it is coming back out.

I don't get you.

Look, Jesse...

I remember this
farmer back in Illinois.

And he was found
dead in his barn.

Now, his hired hand lit out
around the same time,

so everybody thought
that he killed him.

What did you think?

The same as everybody else.

So when the town started
talking about a lynching,
well...

I was right there with them.

So a couple of days later,
word came back that
this hired hand was

hiding out in a cabin
outside of town.

Did you get him?

- No.
- Why not?

Because my sister
locked me in my room.

The next day, I went outside

and saw that hired hand's
dead body being dragged

down the main street of town
behind his horse.

Seems to me you missed
out on all the fun.

You listen to me.
I ain't talking
about fun here.

I'm talking about a man's life!

Then two days later,
some drifter was found
with that farmer's horse,

and he confessed to the murder.

You think about that.

I don't want you making
the same mistake I almost did.

And one of these.

Let me get this totaled up.

Hello, miss Dunn.

Hello, Cynthia. Mrs. Todd.

Hello, miss Dunn.

Miss Dunn, I've been meaning
to come talk to you about
Cynthia's arithmetic lessons.

Yes. As I tried to
explain yesterday...

Cards are the
devil's playthings.

They have no place
in a school room.

Am I right, Mr. Tompkins?

Huh? Absolutely right.

Mrs. Todd,

I'm simply making
do with the materials at hand.

Of course, if the town folk
were a little more generous,

we could have the proper books.

But the really important
things is whether
or not Cynthia is learning.

- Now, isn't that right,
Mr. Tompkins?
- Huh? Damn!

Where was I?

I'm just saying Cynthia
isn't learning anything
this way.

Three dollars
and seventy-two cents.

She's right!

Here, have one
of these jelly beans.

Put these on my account.
See ya in school, Cynthia.

I'm all for continuing
one's education

but I don't think the rest
of the class could
keep up with you.

Oh, thanks for the compliment.

I just wanted to let you
know that Barry came by the

bunk house looking
for you today.

Really? Whatever for?

Something about Ruth
being under the weather,
won't be able to help you out.

Oh, well, I'm sorry
to hear that.

You know, Rachel,
if you ever need any
help around here, you know...

Noah, I appreciate the offer.

But I'll be fine.
Don't worry.

You are school teacher?

- Rachel!
- Hah! Hah!

Teaspoon!

Teaspoon?

-Now, hold on there, son.
What's your hurry?
-Janusz has got Rachel!

My wife Rosa,

she wrote a little
in here every day.

She used English
so she could learn.

She did not want me
to see because
she was embarrassed.

I thought it had
burned in the fire.

I still cannot read English.

That is why I came
to school teacher.

You...

You must read this to me.

It is all I have left of her.

All right.

"As I look out my window,

"I watch janusz work.

"He is so proud.
This land is what
he dreamed of.

"Yesterday he took me
to spot where he dreams,
high on hill.

"He held my hand and said,
someday, all the land
we see could be ours."

She is buried there.
I go there often now.

"It is hard here,
janusz having trouble
learning English.

"Money is never enough,
but we get by,
with the will of god."

Mr. Tarkoski,

I feel it's not my place
to be reading this.

This is between
you and your wife.

Please, there is no one
else willing to
help me.

"It is not easy to make friends.

"People afraid of what
they do not know.

"One day, people in this town
will know the good man,

"the loving man
my dear janusz is."

So sorry.

Jesse, what are you doing here?

I thought you were in danger.

But you wouldn't
hurt anyone, would you?

We had no money left.

They were going to take
the farm, our dream from us.

I did not know what to do.

I went to the saloon
and drank too much.

When I came back here,

the farm was burning.

I tried to go in
to save Rosa, but...

And the townspeople
found you here and
presumed you killed her?

I could not tell them the truth.

I could not speak English.

They sent me
to that horrible place,
that place of darkness.

Janusz, no!

They will not listen.

Wait. I'll tell them
everything.

It's too late.
I will die before I go back.

Stop! You don't understand!

Unless somebody
can give me an idea
of where tarkoski went.

I can.

Janusz's wife wrote
about a spot in the hills
above their farm.

He buried her there.

Said they went up
there all the time.

Well, it ain't much,
but it's better than
sitting around here.

- I'm going with you.
- Jesse, we've been through
this before.

It's different this time.

I'm the one who told
them janusz took Rachel.

It's my fault,
and I'm gonna be there
to set things straight.

Yeah, well, I guess
I have been hammering
you about responsibility,

but this ain't the time.

- Teaspoon...
- Grab your coat.

Teaspoon, wait.

There's something else
in this diary you've got to
see before you head out there.

Ruth, it's Rachel.

Listen, I know you're in there.

I think you should just
go away, Rachel.
I'm still not feeling well.

I know what you were
trying to tell me
the other day.

We got to talk about Walter.

Oh, lord, you don't
have to hide any more.

Come on, I'm getting
you out of here.

They headed into the hills.
Rachel was right.

Well, let's get after them.

We'd only been married a month

the first time Walter
raised his hand against me.

He said he didn't like
the dinner I cooked.

I was more surprised
than anything else.

Then, after a while
I began to realize

it was the small things
that would set him off.

It usually is with
men like that.

I tried to talk
to my mom about it,

but she said sometimes
you got to take
the good with the bad.

The trouble is,
I didn't know how much
bad that was gonna be.

How come you never left?

Where would I go?
Walter is all I've got.

Well, you have friends.

They're all Walter's.

Well, I'm not.
I'm your friend.

And I'm telling you, Ruth,
you've got to stop
protecting Walter.

You're not
the only person he's hurt.

I read Rosa tarkoski's diary.

The bank was planning
to foreclose on their farm.

But Walter said he'd be
willing to help them out
if Rosa spent time with him.

She was supposed
to give him an answer
the night of the fire.

Now, Ruth,

Walter wasn't home
that night, was he?

No.

No.

He told me he'd kill me
if I ever told anyone.

He probably said
the same thing
to Rosa tarkoski,

and look what happened to her.

I'm telling you, Ruth.

You got to tell
teaspoon the truth.

Oh, Rachel,
I don't know if I can.

I know you can,
and I'll be right there
beside you.

Yeah!

Oh!

Spread out!

Up there's where janusz
dusted that horse thief.

It must be where
his wife is buried.

All right, let's go.

It ends here, tarkoski.

Barrett!

This has gone far enough.

Put the gun down.

Now, you stay out
of this, marshal.

What happened between him
and us started a long time
before you got here.

It's time to put this killer
out of his misery. And ours.

I thought we decided
the other night

that you wasn't gonna do this.

Marshal, you got no idea
what you're talking about.

Maybe not.

But there's someone
in town who does.

Listen to me, marshal,
you're wasting your time.

Let me be the judge of that.

Nobody's gonna tell you
anything different about
what happened five years ago.

You're wrong, Walter.

What are you doing here, Ruth?

Something I should have
done a long time ago.

What happened, Ruth?

Well, she...
She's always been clumsy.

Tell them what happened, Ruth.

You can do it.

He hit me.

You beat me, like you always do.

Like you did five years ago
when you were afraid
I'd tell everyone

that you weren't home
the night Rosa tarkoski
was killed.

What?

She's lying.

You made me lie.

Don't listen to her.

I was with you that night.

No. No, you weren't.

Gibson?

You went out to see Rosa,

and when you couldn't
have your way with her...

No! Janusz, no! Don't do it!
It ain't worth it.

Jesse's right,

though it took me long
enough to realize it.

I was so afraid.

He made me so afraid.

But I'm not afraid
of you any more.

Barrett, get down.

I am so sorry for everything
that has happened to you.

There is no need.

But the pain you suffered...

Is nothing compared to yours.

Whoa.

I heard you was leaving.

What is there to stay for?

I have no money, no hope.

Well, it ain't that bad.

You got your plow.
I fixed it yesterday.

Thank you, but...

He would have finished
it a couple of days ago,

but there was more work
than he could handle
at furey's.

The town could use
a new blacksmith.

A big, strong man would be best.

Someone who might
need some extra money.

I wish you luck
in finding such a man.

Thought I'd already found one.

I cannot work in that town.

Nobody blames you
for what happened to furey.

They know Barrett killed him
to point the finger at you.

Janusz, the people here,
they ain't that bad.

Look, maybe we don't
deserve a second chance,

but I think you should
give us one anyway.

But I understand if you don't.

You really fix this plow
by yourself?

Yep.

Looks like this town
really can use
another blacksmith.

I guess everybody deserves
a second chance, no?