Original subtitles

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I thought you said you fixed the pump shaft on the windmill on the north section.

I did.

Well, I just went up there and it wasn't working.

You could hear the cattle bawling for miles.

It was all right when we left it.

It wasn't all right when I went up there.

Well, I dang sure didn't dream I went up there and fixed it.

- Is the windmill working now? - It's working now. I took care of it.

- Lose any cattle? - No, but we could have.

We didn't lose any, that's the important thing.

We got too much work to do to be bickering like this.

That's what 14 hours in the saddle does for you.

Joe, get yourself something to eat. We got a lot of riding to do.

Yeah, I'm sorry.

Well, the way I've been figuring it,

we all stand to lose strays in the breaks along the way.

- If it's like every other route. - Right.

So why don't we just save some time and manpower?

Steve, if you and your boys look after this break,

and, Luther, you look after this one, we'll take care of this one,

and we'll drive all the stock to the gathering area here

and then sort 'em out and get 'em ready for the drive.

- Good idea. - Better get started as soon as we can.

Yeah, with the early winter forecast, the sooner we move 'em out, the better.

That Texas drought isn't gonna hurt us any.

What about that? 50 dollars a head?

- Not all profit. - No, not all profit.

What do you figure we'll clear? I mean, drovers, the cost of feed along the way.

Yeah, those ranchers along the way, they're gonna know the price of beef.

So the price of hay is gonna be way up too.

But even... even counting that and the rail freight from Ogden to Chicago,

I still figure we ought to clear at least 25 dollars a head.

- 25. - Yeah, that's not bad, huh?

- That'll be the best year I ever had. - I never had a good one before.

- Well, you've worked for it. - Oh, don't we always, Ben?

- Good or bad? - Good or bad.

All I know is,

I'd have gone under if you two hadn't signed my notes at the bank.

Let's just say we didn't wanna lose you as a neighbor

and risk getting somebody worse.

Oh.

- Howdy, Joe. - You're back early.

Just talking about the best year we ever had, Joe.

What's the trouble?

Cattlemen's Association got a telegraph message

from the Railroad Transportation Office in Ogden.

- Yeah? - They can't ship our cattle.

They have no cattle cars available.

- What? - Oh, it can't be.

Can't be, but it is. Somebody's optioned every one of the cars.

They can't ship the herds.

We got to. Ain't none of us can winter-feed our herds.

We'd lose most of them if we even tried.

- Who optioned the cars? - I don't know, but he got 'em all.

Then we'll all go broke.

Whoa. Whoa.

- Ah, good morning, Ma. - Good mornin'.

Good news. Look. Read it.

Saw this yesterday. That's why I'm here.

That man's gonna buy your cattle. That ought to put a smile on your face.

Maybe he's gonna buy my cattle.

I've been ranching round here most of my life

and I never yet had a stranger pour money in my hat

and get me out of trouble.

Luther. Wait up, huh?

Yeah, we'll be late.

Come on in, folks, come on in. Just be seated anywhere.

Lloyd, how are you?

Ben, it's... it's good to see you. I'm glad you could come.

Well, I wouldn't miss this for anything, Lloyd.

Now, we'll be starting in just a minute.

- Good, good. - Ma.

- Oh, hello, Ma. - Howdy, Ben.

How's Annabelle?

She's got her throat wrapped in flannel,

and I'm gonna stuff it down her mouth if she don't stop complainin'.

Uh, what do you make of this?

Well, it'll be kind of interesting to hear

what this Mr. Whitney is gonna have to say.

Mm-hm. That makes two of us.

First no cattle cars, now this.

Yeah. Well, we better sit down.

Well, now, Walsh don't run cattle. What's he doing in this?

Owns most of the mortgages, don't he?

Including mine.

All right, now! Everybody settle down!

Please be seated.

I know that you didn't come to hear me.

You're right, Lloyd.

So, without further ado,

let me present to you Mr. Emmett J. Whitney,

the president of the Whitney Packing Company of Chicago, Illinois.

Thank you, Mr. Walsh.

I intended to be here last week, and I owe you an apology.

I understand through our mutual friend, Mr. Walsh,

has told me that I've given you all a hard time

worrying about who has the option on the cattle cars from Ogden to Chicago.

Well, you can stop worrying, because I have them.

I bought them in your interest.

Now, as you know, the country, especially in the cities, is growing,

and feeding the metropolitan area is big business.

Now, you raise cattle, and that should be your sole concern, but it isn't.

You have to pay the... the drover, you have to arrange for rail space

to ship your cattle to the Chicago stockyards

where meat packers like myself bid upon 'em.

And you fully understand what that means.

I've always thought it to mean free enterprise.

Yeah.

- Uh, may I ask your name, sir? - Cartwright.

- Ah, that's the Ponderosa. - That's right.

Well, may I add a couple words to your term "free enterprise"?

Waste and risk.

And I plan to do away with all that.

Now, I will buy your cattle directly.

Your responsibility ends the moment that your herd leaves your ranch.

And I'll buy every steer and it'll be cash on the barrelhead.

All right, hold it down!

Shut up!

Hold it down!

Now, I got somethin' to ask this feller.

All right, you showed us the glory road.

Now let's get down and bite the bullet.

How much are you aimin' to pay?

Well, I was getting to that, ma'am.

I'm offering three dollars a head.

What?

He means 30. You mean 30, don't ya?

No. I said and I mean three dollars.

Mister, we hang cow hunters in this country.

Now, hold on, boys! We're not gonna have any violence.

'Cause I'm gonna arrest the first man that tries it.

Just whose side are you on, Roy?

That side right there. That's why you elected me, isn't it?

- You'll never get any of my herd. - Well, then, you keep 'em.

But you better move 'em before three weeks, or winter-feed them,

because I have the only way of gettin' 'em to Chicago.

Now, my price of three dollars a head stands for one week.

After that, it's cut to two. You can take it or leave it.

- Two? - I think you'd better get upstairs.

Mr. Whitney says that the meetin' is all over. That's it, folks.

I owe the bank more than three dollars a head.

You're not gonna sell 'em for three dollars a head, Luther.

I might have to.

It's all his fault. You brought him here, didn't you?

I just introduced him, Luther. I didn't know what he was up to.

What am I gonna tell Mary? What do I say to the kids?

You tell 'em that their father is getting into a fight for his life.

Along with the rest of us.

Didn't think you'd still be up.

I must have dozed off.

I wanted to wait up for you to find out how you made out with the telegrams.

- Get any answers? - Yeah, I heard from California.

Arizona beef went that way.

Yeah, what about Santa Fe?

Too far. Anyway, they're full up.

So what do we do now?

Just have to wait around here,

see if we get any answers from the other telegrams.

I just hate to sit around and wait.

You know, Joe, if we could just get the big ranchers to hold out,

help the smaller ones, we might be able to make Whitney break.

Suppose I go into town tomorrow

and see if I can't get the bigger ranchers together, have a meeting here?

Yeah. Yeah, that's an idea.

All right, do that.

But let's go to bed. I'm dog-tired.

Come on.

Howdy, Ms. Berger.

- Oh, howdy, Joe. - I just came by your place.

Pa wondered if you could come out to our ranch tonight after supper.

What's up?

We're gonna have a meeting of all the bigger ranchers.

Hey, you haven't seen Luther, have you?

Yeah, he just went down to the saloon a few minutes ago.

I'll go down and talk to him. We'll see you tonight.

I'll be there.

Mornin', Luther.

Joe.

Pa's having a meetin' out at our place tonight. He'd like you to be there.

What would anybody want me for?

To help fight Whitney.

We've been living from hand to mouth ever since we first came here.

I thought it was gonna end this year.

Ah, leave me out of it, Joe.

Look, the only way to make it is to stick together. We'll all help.

Why don't you come on out to our ranch

and we'll pack up some supplies and bring 'em over to your place?

I, uh, already bought some supplies.

Where d'you think I got the money for this?

I sold out to Whitney an hour ago.

Another one.

Just what are you asking us to do, Ben?

I'd like us to make a pledge to each other not to sell.

- Don't you think Whitney expects that? - Yes, he does.

Well, then, what good is it? Now, he's lowering the price in 48 hours.

That's about as long as I can hold out.

Now, if any of the smaller ranchers see a big rancher like you sell out,

they'll stampede.

They already have, Ben. Joe told you about Luther.

Ed Green sold out, and so has Mike Jasper.

Is three dollars a head gonna save you?

I just might be able to hang on till next year.

You just might.

And what's to prevent Whitney after he's sold our cattle in Chicago

to come back here and buy up our mortgages with our own money?

- Lloyd won't sell us out. - Well, we may not have any choice.

He's stretched pretty thin himself.

Why do you think he's letting Whitney stomp all over him in his own bank?

Now, who's for holding out?

Ben, I'll go this far with you.

You see him for us, and if you can get him to raise his offer, fine.

If not, I'll do what I have to do.

Not what I wanna do. What I have to do.

Is anybody with me?

You got business here, Mr. Cartwright?

Not with you. With the man inside.

Not with that.

Come in.

Oh, Mr. Cartwright. Here before the prices drop.

Let's see. Ponderosa. Here we are.

Bill of sale made out for 3,600 head. Is that close enough?

I'm not here to sell anything.

Then why are you here?

Because the major ranchers have asked me to talk for them.

Look, I'll speak to them individually.

They want a fair price for their livestock, Mr. Whitney.

They've had their best price.

Then I think we'd better start talking sensibly.

Look, I've said all I'm going to say at the meeting.

But what you're doing is nothing short of robbery. Don't you see that?

Without force? Without a gun?

Look, the people who signed these came in here voluntarily, just as you did.

I've known Comancheros that have more of a conscience than you have.

Then why don't you sell 'em your cattle?

I'll sell mine in Chicago or not at all.

Yeah.

Then we won't need this,

because the price of Ponderosa beef just went to a dollar a head.

And you can tell your friends they got 48 hours.

Bartender, hurry it up!

It's gonna be a long five minutes, isn't it?

A man can't work day and night.

Any messages come through for Ben Cartwright?

Nothing's come in since the ones I gave him yesterday.

Buy you a drink?

Darn you. I want another drink.

- You've had enough. - That's my business.

- Do I get it or not? - Hey, Luther. Hey.

- What? - Take it easy.

Oh, yeah, yeah. Have... Have... Have a drink. Sit down.

All right, all right, all right. Then we'll go home, all right?

- Bring me a beer, will you? - Right away.

I don't wanna go home.

Got no home.

Missus is gonna be wonderin' where you are.

Nah. My... missus don't care.

Why should she?

I got nothin'.

No money.

No self-respect.

I'm a Judas. You hear me?

No family.

- No friends. - You got plenty of friends.

Come on, drink up.

You my friend?

I sure am.

- Come on, now. - Oh.

- Hey, I don't wanna go yet. - Sure you do. Sure you do.

- I'll ride part of the way with you. - I can get home without you, you know.

Sure you can.

- I can make it by myself. - Sure you can. Sure you can.

I have to get my... to get my horse.

You... You wait right here for me, all right?

- Yeah, yeah. - You all right? You wait right here.

My friend. My friend.

Whitney!

Luther, no!

All right, what happened here?

He tried to kill me.

- Who shot him? - I did. He drew first.

- Candy, did you see it? - Yeah.

Luther drew first.

He was too drunk to hit anything, though.

All right, you're next.

Ben, Lloyd.

Hello, Steve.

Just got back from Luther's funeral.

I'm where I have to be, Ben.

You'd have been proud of Luther's wife.

I sent my foreman over to help her. It's all I can do.

I'd... better go in.

My horse is down at the stable. I'll ride that far with you.

All right, I may be back tomorrow, kicking myself, but... not today.

Thanks, Steve.

Maybe you're right. Maybe... Maybe Whitney made a mistake.

If your idea doesn't work, we're gonna take an awful bath.

That's right. But we can't winter-feed the cattle.

We've gone through that.

We either drive 'em and sell 'em or let the winter storms take 'em.

Yeah, but, Pa, the fact of the matter is the ranch can still survive.

We can still make it.

Yes. Yes, we... we could survive.

But the Ponderosa's not just a ranch. It's our home.

And a home is a place surrounded by friends and neighbors.

And our neighbors just could not survive it.

There's no way they can survive it.

Now, if we take Mr. Whitney's oversight and turn it against him,

if we take that chance,

we're putting everything we ever worked for... right on the line.

If we're wrong...

If you're wrong, we walk away from here with nothin' but the shirts on our back.

That's right.

Are we agreed?

I don't think we have any choice, do we?

You promise I can keep this shirt?

Candy, ride over to Lloyd Walsh's house. Wake him up.

Tell him to get over to the bank as quickly as he can.

Take this telegram to Mineral Wells. Have 'em send it to Chicago.

I want the answer sent to Elko and held there for me.

Elko. All right, will do.

Now...

I've marked the... the line of the trail drive we'll take.

They must have gone in the back room. Take a look, will you?

Everything I own.

Mining stocks, timber, the mill,

the deeds to the Ponderosa, the cattle herd, everything.

- What do you want, Ben? - A hundred thousand dollars.

Cash. Sight drafts.

Anything that you can scrape together in a hurry.

Ben.

My cash reserve is at rock bottom.

I... I... I couldn't lend you a nickel.

On collateral like that?

Well, I... I know, Ben, it's more collateral than I normally ask.

- That's right. - But these are not normal times, Ben.

This town is very scared right now.

Money's very tight.

Whitney and the mine owners are the only people in town

who've got any cash.

And Whitney keeps his in a strongbox in my safe.

But it's not on deposit, Ben.

No, most of the money I've got on deposit belongs to the mine owners.

One big withdrawal would ruin me.

21-day loan. That's all I'm asking. 21 days.

If just one of those mines come to me with a need for extra money

and I wouldn't have it,

I'd have to close, Ben.

Why, even if I sold you out to pay off,

I'd never have another bank.

How long do you think you're going to keep this bank

after Whitney's finished grabbing everything off around here.

Now, I'm asking you for the people who helped you build this bank.

What do you want the money for, Ben?

- Fight Whitney. - I know that, but how?

Lloyd, I'd prefer you not to know. Then you wouldn't have to lie about it.

- I'd like to help you, but... - 21 days.

21 days and then you can sell me out.

I've backed you before, but this time could prove a disaster.

Well, let me tell you something, Lloyd.

If you don't back me, it will prove a disaster.

For everybody, including you.

All right.

I'll have to use sight drafts mostly.

Fine.

Then I'll fill out your loan papers.

I'll wait.

All right!

Ah.

Well? What do you want?

Ben Cartwright's at the bank and so's Walsh.

Shovelin' money into a pair of saddlebags.

Looks like they're plannin' to light out.

Well, if Walsh is gonna rob his own bank,

he wouldn't have Cartwright helping him.

Well, they're up to somethin'.

Cartwright's horse is carryin' a bedroll.

Ah. Travelin', huh?

Cartwright's gone to Ogden.

I thought you had all the cattle cars locked up.

I have. But Cartwright doesn't believe it.

So you follow him. But be careful.

You let him get a couple days from here and then... bring back the saddlebags.

What do I do about Cartwright?

Use your own judgment.

But after you use it, make sure you bury him.

What about Walsh?

We're gonna start a run on his bank.

You get out and spread the word the bank is broke.

Hurry up, Lloyd.

Oh, I've got to fill out this note first.

Well, here. Let me sign it and then you can fill it out after I've gone.

I've been trusted before, but never this much.

Well, now you are.

Good luck, Ben.

To all of us.

Howdy, Steve.

- Mornin', Ma. What brought you here? - Same thing as you.

I just wanted to see if the bank was gonna open.

Neighbor got me out of bed last night to tell me it wouldn't.

I don't believe it, but I thought I'd come and see for myself.

Walsh is inside. Been there for about an hour.

So is Whitney and one of his gunmen.

This neighbor, did he say why he thought it wouldn't open?

No, he heard some people talking about it in the Silver Dollar.

The way I heard it, Ben Cartwright's mixed up in it some way.

Doesn't make any sense, but that's what I heard.

Well, this crowd is getting bigger and uglier all the time.

Stay here, huh?

It looks like you're gonna have a very busy day, Mr. Walsh.

You'll liable to end up being guest of honor at a tar and feathering.

And those two mine owners out there, they're not gonna wait for payday.

They'll want their cash now.

- That's your doing. - Oh.

That's an unfriendly attitude, Mr. Walsh.

Although I will admit that several people asked me

what I thought of your bankin'.

I told 'em the truth.

I told 'em I didn't have my money on deposit in your bank.

You're just trying to ruin me, aren't you?

That's very, very unfriendly.

Nine minutes and then you're gonna have to open up that door.

Mmm.

All those people out there, they have money on deposit in your bank,

and they're all going to want to withdraw that money.

And you have to have it to give to 'em.

If Walsh doesn't open on time,

they're gonna take that door right off the hinges.

Might be a good idea to get the sheriff.

Oh, on the way. Here he comes.

May I have your attention? I'd like to have your attention, please.

We've got eight minutes to go.

Now, if Lloyd Walsh doesn't open up by then, I'll find out the reason why.

- Now, is that fair enough? - Yeah!

Thank you very much.

Sheriff's out there.

Ah.

Sheriff might save you that tar and feather overcoat by puttin' you in jail.

People just don't understand

that a bank has most of its money out on loan, growing interest.

All they care about is getting their money when they want it.

Six minutes.

And when a bank goes broke, it stays that way.

People just never trust it again.

- What do you want? - I thought you'd get round to that.

I'll help you, Mr. Walsh.

I'll give you all the money you need in return for one of the notes you hold.

- I couldn't do that. - It's only one note.

The cattle mortgage to the Ponderosa herd.

- No. - Why not?

It's a perfectly legal transaction. You own the paper.

You can sell it to anybody you choose.

We're not gonna hurt Mr. Cartwright.

Why, he'll be back to pay off that loan before it's due.

That was the agreement, wasn't it?

Yes, it was.

Four minutes.

You win.

Afraid that's it. Would you like to play another game?

Yeah. I get to watch this time.

Yeah, set 'em up. I'll get it.

- Steve. - Joe, no more stalling.

Where'd your pa go?

- Steve, I'm sorry, we can't tell you. - Why not?

If we're gonna hold out, we've got a right to know.

Well, we agree, and so would Pa, Steve,

but the problem is we promised him we wouldn't tell nobody.

- When's he due back? - Two days.

I could have gotten three dollars a head for my steers.

Now I've got to take a dollar or hold out and maybe get nothing.

And do it for a man who doesn't want me to know where he went or why?

That's asking a lot.

I know it's asking a lot, but it's only two more days.

You can hold out that long, can't you?

I can, but if it turns out

I've got to sit by this winter and watch my cattle die,

I'm gonna be sorry I ever met Ben Cartwright, let alone trusted him.

More money than you've seen in your life, isn't it?

Ah, good morning, gentlemen.

You're on Ponderosa territory, Mr. Whitney. You ain't welcome.

I just came to see my cattle.

You don't own no cattle here either.

No? I bought your father's note.

The cattle mortgage to the Ponderosa.

You got a piece of paper and that's all. That note's not due for two more weeks.

In the meantime, why don't you two just ride out of here?

- Anybody gonna make us go? - If that's the way you want it.

Put it away.

We'll let them work for us.

Good day, gentlemen.

Ha!

Only one gunman. Wonder where the other one is.

Probably left him in town in case somebody else decided to sell.

Only two more days to wait. I never knew it'd be that long.

Well, we have got them, except for a Ma Bricker and a Steve Lance

and a couple other small fry that don't really matter.

Because this time tomorrow, we'll have them all.

Well, now, maybe you will.

There was three of 'em outside that were ready to come in.

Hoss and Joe Cartwright showed up and took 'em down the street to the saloon.

Well, that might delay us some, but the end result will be the same.

Well, maybe. But I'm sweatin' some.

And I'm also wonderin' what happened to Spanier.

- He'll be here. - Well, you trust him more than I do.

I'll be glad when they move the herds out,

'cause people around here are gettin' edgy, and so am I.

Why don't you get outside and guard the door?

I have thought about it.

Now, I don't care what anybody else does.

I've waited as long as I can.

I'm sellin' today.

Look, all we're askin' you to do is wait a few days until my pa gets back.

It's not gonna make any difference. Whitney's gonna buy the cattle.

He's certainly not gonna pay you less than a dollar a head.

I didn't think he'd pay less than three dollars.

Well, neither did we. But a dollar a head's gotta be rock bottom.

Your pa was due back yesterday.

Somethin' delayed him, but he'll be here.

Tomorrow? Or maybe the day after? Or the day after that?

Don't look at me.

If Steve sells, Whitney'll have it all just about hog-tied and branded.

If I was the last holdout,

when I did go to sell, he could laugh in my face.

We don't like it, but sometimes every man has to eat crow.

Well, might as well get it over.

We did our best.

Hey. Here's Pa.

Good to see you. Had us pretty worried.

Just in time.

Yeah, Spanier delayed me a couple of days. He... He got himself hurt.

We didn't think you were gonna make it, Ben.

We were just headin' inside to sell to Whitney.

Let me see him first, will you?

Sure, if that's what you want.

- You want me to what? - I'll say it again.

Sell back the cattle to the rightful owners and give up your rail options.

You must be sun happy. I got you tied up with the rest.

All right, I made you an honest offer. I'll make you another one.

Half the price you paid. And I advise you to take it.

- What are these? - Somethin' you forgot to buy.

These are bills of sale for every bale of hay and alfalfa

for the 80 miles of cattle trail between Lovelock and Winnemucca.

There isn't enough public graze on that trail to feed ten head,

let alone ten thousand.

Without that feed, you couldn't get one steer through to Ogden alive.

Yeah.

Look, we're both businessmen.

We ought to be able to work out a deal where...

You sell now.

Or get your cattle herds off our range lands and start tryin' to buy feed.

- Full price. You pay me... - Half.

The rest goes to Luther's widow.

What's he to you?

Somethin' else you can't buy. A friend.

You just sign over those options for the cattle cars

or that price is gonna drop again.

All right, Ben, what happened? Do I sell or watch my cattle starve?

Neither one, Ma. We're movin' 'em.

Mr. Whitney's sellin' everybody's cattle back at half price!

I got just enough cash to buy drinks for everybody,

so don't nobody go home thirsty.

I'll be right in. Hey, Ben. When do the people get their cattle back?

As soon as they get their bill of sales in to Mr. Whitney. It's all arranged.

Hell, I underestimated you, Mr. Cartwright.

Financially you've given me a big surprise, but if we can...

I have another one for you.

Read that, Roy.

It's a warrant for the arrest of Emmett J. Whitney and Oliver Stark.

On what charges?

Charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

It also states that Anthony Spanier confessed that his employer,

said Emmett J. Whitney, sent him to deliberately murder Ben Cartwright.

Oliver Stark was present and also implicated.

Signed by the sheriff of White Pine County.

If both you gentlemen will come along with me over to the jail,

I think I can find a couple of nice cells for you.

Oh, Ben, thank you.

Well, we got it settled anyway, Ma.

I guess we'd better get home and get some rest.

We got a cattle drive to start, eh, fellas?

- Yeah. - See you in the morning.

Hold on there, now, Ma.

You make sure you bring the fixings for those good, hot biscuits of yours.

The leaders are too far downstream.

They'll hit the river below the ford.

There's rapids down there.

If they get into that white water, we'll lose every other one of them.

- I'll turn 'em. - Hoss?

- Upstream! - Right.