Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958–1961): Season 1, Episode 7 - Ransom for a Nun - full transcript

Please don't let me disturb you.
I'll only be a moment.

Mr. Randall? Josh Randall?

Yes, ma'am.

I'm Mother Superior
at the Convent of the Sacred Heart.

Perhaps you know it?

I'm pretty much a stranger here.

But you do know about
the capture of Lon Kidder?

The killer the sheriff brought in?

Did you know Kidder's friends have
taken one of our sisters hostage?

No, I didn't.

Sister Grace,



one of our novices
is in their hands.

She's only 17.

Word has been sent
that Sister Grace will be killed

unless Lon Kidder is released.

Nothing I can do.
The man to see's the sheriff.

I've spoken to him.

He says there's nothing he can do.

I'm truly sorry, ma'am.

I realize that you insist
on being paid for whatever you do.

So I've been told.

We have no money, we have nothing
to offer but our prayers.

I'm down 80 dollars. Your prayers
won't buy me a new stack of chips.

Think a moment, Mr. Randall.

There's nothing I can do.



You can find a way.

Your deal.

RANSOM FOR A NUN

- Hello, Sheriff.
- Josh. Be with you in a minute.

What's the matter? Nothing better
to do for entertainment?

I spoke to the Mother Superior.

Kinda late to be takin' up religion.

She said she saw you too.
You didn't see things her way.

Well, item one:
he's a confessed killer.

But that nun will die.

If I turn him loose, every bandit
has a license to rob and steal.

If caught, all they have to do

is take a nun from the convent
as ransom for their own hides.

Are Kidder and his bunch bluffin'?

No. They don't bluff.

If my deputy was here, I'd send
Kidder to Tucson for safekeeping.

I'd be glad to oblige.

I'll take him to Tucson.

The County can't afford
an extra deputy.

I don't want any pay.

No? Why not?

Civic minded, that's all.

You don't have any funny idea

about exchanging that nun for him?

You want him in Tucson,
that's where he'll be.

If I borrow him on the way,
you got no objections, do you?

No. Once he's in Tucson
I'm off the hook.

Swear me in.

If he don't get to Tucson,
a wanted poster

will go out for you.

Swear me in.

- Well now, where we goin'?
- Tucson.

Suppose I don't wanna
get on that horse?

I don't care if you're on it
or across it. You're going.

I've killed men for using
kinder tones to me than that.

Difference is, you haven't got a gun.
Which way you wanna ride, mister?

Remember, any detours
better be short and to the point.

Yes, sir.

I'll see you now.

Hold it!

Know a hideout
near Mission Junction?

Why?

You know why.

Now I've got a slow brain.
Suppose you tell me.

I want you to take me there.

Why?

I'm trading you in for a nun.

That's the first bit of sense
I've heard in these parts.

That's the trading post.

Make some noise.

Hey, Wilson!

Garth!

Wilson, Garth, it's me!

Lon?

Yeah. Lon Kidder.
What are you so skittish about?

Who you got with you?

A deputy.

Tell him to drop his gun.
He's covered.

- You got the nun in there?
- She's here.

Bring her out.

Tell him to drop his gun!

He won't do it. Bring her out!

He won't do business
unless she's OK.

You all right?

Yes.

On the ground.

Flat on the ground.

Get on the horse.

Hey, what about these?

That's your problem.

We're going out!

You get me, I'll get Kidder.
Remember that!

For a nun,
you're pretty good on a horse.

Horses and I are old friends.

You all right now?

I'm fine, thank you.

They didn't harm you?

No.

They said they would if their friend
wasn't brought to them.

I was surprised when you came.

Why?

The law has no feeling. I didn't
think they'd release a criminal.

A criminal for you?
The law made a sure bargain.

Very kind of you.

My pleasure.

- I'm Sister Grace.
- I know.

What's your name?

Josh Randall.

Joshua...

In the Bible, the man who fought
and won the Battle of Jericho.

Were you named after him?

No, ma'am. My Uncle Josh.

He fought all his life
against the bottle... He lost.

Feeling all right now?

I'm fine, thank you.

Can you get back by yourself?

Alone?

Well, I'm sure I could.

Why aren't you returning with me?

I thought, as long as I'm here,
I'd do a little prospecting.

Does it have anything
to do with me?

You're not interested
in gold, are you?

No.

Then it's got nothing
to do with you.

I'm hungry.

Well I've got a little meat here.
It's not much.

Here you are, ma'am.

Like this? Don't you cook it?

No.

Well I'd like it cooked.

There's not much around here
to make a fire with.

It's easy. I'll show you.

- You don't understand.
- You don't want to make a fire.

It could bring hostile Indians
down on us.

The Indians haven't been hostile
around here for the last 10 years.

Oh!

The law didn't release
that criminal, did it?

You gave him up.

And now you have to go back
and get him.

That's why you won't build a fire
or come back with me.

No. Just gonna spend the night here.
Tomorrow I head for California.

I thought you were gonna prospect.

- Look, lady, I...
- Sister Grace!

Sister Grace, I got a job to do.

It doesn't include
letting a man go wanted for murder.

But it's dangerous for you.

Somebody might get killed.
That's a sin.

When I want a sermon
I'll go to church.

I wish you'd do that too.

- Could've told you they'd be gone.
- Why didn't you?

You were rude.

All I did...

You saved my life.
Now I'm trying to save yours.

You wouldn't know
where they've gone?

I do.

Where?

They spoke their plans in Spanish.
They didn't know I'd studied it.

Where did they go?

To Mexico.

That's a big place.

First they have business
in Mission Junction tonight.

I won't tell you where that is
unless you agree to what I say.

- I'm listening.
- We'll go see

the sheriff and tell him where
Mr. Kidder and the others will be.

Then a band of men can go
and persuade him to give himself up.

I don't think Mr. Kidder's gonna be
so easy to convince.

But go along and tell the sheriff
what you told me.

Thanks for the information.

What are you gonna do?

Didn't your mother ever tell you
it's not polite to follow a stranger.

But you saved my life.
You're not a stranger.

You want us to stay friends,
don't you?

Please go back to the convent.

Tell me where you plan to go.

Mission Junction.

But that's not fair!

Ma'am, I thought I told you
to go home.

I thought you agreed to my plan.

What kind of man are you?
Are you anxious to use that thing?

Isn't there enough killing out here
without you getting killed yourself?

Please don't go. I don't want
a nice man like you to...

Look, lady...

Sister Grace.

Sister Grace.

We've got our own private hell
here in the West.

As long as there are men like Kidder
it'll stay that way.

You've got a job to do.
I've got a job to do.

We've got to do it in our own way.

The best way to help
is to return to the convent.

If anything happens to you
it'll be my fault.

I can't have that on my conscience.

Maybe you're right.
Maybe we should do things your way.

The Mission church!

Whaddaya know!

I'd like to pray for my deliverance.
Would you come with me?

Why not?

What are you going to do?

Kidder and his bunch are there
ready to bust into that bank.

I've got to stop them.
And I mean for you to stay here.

No!

I'm sorry.

What's happening?

Look at that!

Ain't every day a gun misfires.

Some days are just lucky.

- Are you all right, child?
- Yes, Mother Superior.

Thank you.
I knew you wouldn't fail us.

Joshua...

Mr. Randall.

Your scarf. Remember,
you used it to teach me to talk less.

Thank you.

- Will you come to see us?
- When I'm around.

Don't forget your promise.

What was that?

To come to church someday.

Did I say that?

You said if you wanted to hear
a sermon you'd come to church.

Well, a sermon
is what one hears in church.

Next Sunday, Joshua?

Maybe.

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