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You'd think with all the balling them steers did on the trail,

they'd be balled out by now, wouldn't you?

If I was a Cartwright, I'd think that was the sweetest sound there is,

all that mooing going on.

- Yeah. - That's the sound of money, Hoss.

Frankly, after a ride like that ride today,

I'd just as soon have a good, soft bed as hard money any time.

Get it all squared away, little brother?

Everything's fine. I got the night riders out.

Candy, you have to take over from Ace at midnight up on the east ridge.

I'll be there.

Hey, Hoss, I just passed the chuck wagon.

Hop Sing's got a nice pan of biscuits with your brand on 'em.

Well, he'll just have to save 'em for breakfast.

I'm cutting down till I get into Sand Dust.

I know you're cutting down. That's why I said there was just one pan of biscuits.

Candy knows about this real fancy eating place in Sand Dust.

- Ain't that right, Candy? - Oh, yeah, yeah.

There's one, the Golden something or other.

Um, if it's still there, you'll be able to find it without me.

What do you mean, without you? Where are you gonna be?

Well, I told Mr. Cartwright, Sand Dust is the end of the line.

You realize how much of your money I have burning a hole in my pocket?

I can get all the way to Chicago.

You mean to tell me you're gonna pass up a ride

on a hard saddle all the way back to the Ponderosa

just to... just to sit in some soft train

and sip those drinks the waiter brings you with the ice an' all in 'em

and look at the pretty girls who are going back east

after spending all their time out west?

Hoss, how come we never ran away from home?

I don't know, but I can tell you this,

both of you ought to quit the gabbing and get some shut-eye.

We got that creek to cross with them steers in the morning.

If we don't get 'em in there to Mr. Haskell, there ain't...

there ain't nobody

gonna have any money to burn in nobody's pocket.

Better be careful. He's gonna blow that fire out.

Fine beef cattle. You didn't drive 'em too hard.

When you get back to the Ponderosa, you tell Ben how pleased I am

you brought your herd all the way here to Sand Dust.

Well, he'll be happy to hear that. I gotta be honest with you, Mr. Haskell,

that's not the real reason we drove those cattle to Sand Dust.

- 'Cause you pay 50 cents a head more. - And they're worth it to me.

I'll have your money ready

any time you wanna come by my office in town and pick it up.

Good enough. We'll be through here pretty soon.

All right. Be seeing you in town.

Right.

Sand Dust.

Reckon a man can get a beer in a town named like that?

I'm buying.

Three farewell beers.

Candy, I never figured you was really serious.

I don't wanna crowd you,

but as soon as I pick up my wages, I wanna be leaving.

Suit yourself.

He's too good a hand to lose.

I'll talk him out of it while we're having that beer.

Maybe so. Come on, let's get back to work.

Nothing personal, mister. Just practice.

No offense.

- Hi. - How you doing?

You'll want to check these figures, Joe.

All right. Here's a little present from Pa.

Oh, you don't say. I got a present here for Ben.

This is Valerie Townsend. Mr. Cartwright, Val.

- Hello, Mr. Cartwright. - Very nice to meet you.

Spanish sherry. And wouldn't you know?

- Spanish sherry? - You guessed right.

Same label, same year.

- I'll get your money now. - Right.

These figures look correct.

Don't try anything and nobody'll get hurt.

Put 'em up, and keep 'em there.

Now, back off. Back off!

Open the safe, old man. I said open the safe.

I... I don't know where I stopped.

Well, you better remember. Get down there.

You better hurry up, old timer, or brother Billy will cut you to bits.

All right. Please.

My drovers are coming in here to get paid. They could show up any minute.

You don't say. Take a look out that there window.

The sheriff is out of town. We took care of that.

You better hope your men don't butt in, mister.

Hurry up, Billy.

If those are them drovers, looks like somebody's gonna get killed after all.

What are you two doing here?

I figured you'd be hunting down that cold beer about now.

Well, we were, little brother, but we didn't wanna get too far ahead of you.

Yeah, well, I'll be a little while yet. Why don't you go on ahead?

I'll catch up to you.

Yeah.

I talked old Candy into putting off that trip. Pretty good, huh?

Yeah, that's real good news.

Close the door.

I'll see you later, huh?

Now, you stay right where you are.

Not a sound from you.

Out the back. Candy, take the other side.

Back of the barn!

Doug, hold it!

Get him out of here.

Get up. Hey.

Is he...?

Yeah.

You ain't gonna be a hero very long, big man.

Just killed Haskell.

I had him in my sights. I should have squeezed.

Heard some shots. What happened?

A gang robbed Mr. Haskell.

They killed him. There must have been, oh, seven or eight of 'em.

- You got just one? - Two dead behind the barn.

- Got a name, boy? - His name's Billy.

Heard him call another one Doug.

All right, put your guns away. If there's any more shooting, we'll do it.

That's what I like, a man who knows what he's doing.

On your feet.

On your feet, boy.

I wanna see you all in my office. Take care of Haskell.

Doc'll be here in a few minutes.

Where's your brother, Billy?

Where do you hole up when you're in these parts?

You folks were lucky. You ran into a bad bunch.

Doug and Billy Slader.

Wanted dead or alive in seven states.

OK, this is gonna take a little bit of time.

Might as well sit down.

- Who saw the Haskell killing? - I did. So did Miss Townsend here.

- You two didn't see it, huh? - No.

All we saw was Billy toss the money back to his brother.

Four witnesses to a robbery, two witnesses to a murder.

Looks like there's gonna be a rope waiting for Billy boy.

Doug'll get me out. There ain't no jail that'll hold me and you know it.

Mine will.

Valerie, how much money did they get out of that safe? Do you know?

I'm not sure.

Enough to buy three or four herds the size of Mr. Cartwright's.

Shall I lock him up?

You won't convict me.

There's not gonna be enough witnesses alive to testify. None of you!

Do you hear what I'm saying? You're all gonna be dead!

I hope you folks have no pressing business the next few days,

'cause you're staying here.

You caught me a killer. Catching him, that's... that's just half the battle.

I need your testimony to get a conviction.

Well, fine. How long's this gonna take, you figure?

Well, I'll wire the circuit judge today.

Two or three days to get here. Two or three days for the trial.

Unless, of course, he's in the middle of something right now.

All right, Sheriff. The three of us'll be out at the trail camp if you need us.

Mr. Cartwright, you weren't listening.

I said this jail would hold Billy. It will.

That means there's only one way

that Doug can see that Billy cheats the noose:

get rid of the witnesses.

That Slader gang will try to kill you. That's all they'll do, try.

As of now, you're guests of the county,

protective custody in the hotel, under guard.

Valerie, you'll have to move out of the boarding house.

Get Bud O'Hara, Jim Snell, Walter Benson. I need 'em, now.

And I want you to listen to what I got to say.

The lady's bedroom's on the left, gentlemen's on the right.

Thank you very much.

Keep this door locked at all times. There'll be an armed deputy in the hall.

- If you need anything, say the word. - Thank you.

Well, I guess this'll be it for the next few days.

Yeah. Ain't no Virginia City, is it?

The street down there'll be full of people before you know it,

coming in town to see the trial and the hanging.

Let's get settled down.

There were eyewitnesses, Doug.

There isn't a lawyer in the world that can beat eyewitnesses.

What about the jail?

You know that bucket, Jack?

Is she a tight one?

Forget about the jail. It's built like a fort.

We made a big haul this trip.

You'll all get a big cut, when you've earned it.

When Billy is free.

I don't care how you do it, Jack, but I want my brother free.

Look, Doug, there were four witnesses.

- Four of 'em. - Sure.

What if two of 'em happened to get killed?

Something tells me that the others wouldn't be very anxious to talk.

Come on.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be hysterical.

I've read about robberies and murders.

Everybody hears and reads about it, but... but when you're there...

Mr. Haskell was so kind to me.

He was such a nice man to everyone.

Yes, he was, Val. He was a fine fella.

I've never even seen a murder trial.

I've never been a witness. I probably won't know what to do at all.

- Have you ever been a witness? - Oh, there's nothing to it.

You swear to tell the truth, and the prosecutor asks you a few questions

and you answer 'em, that's it.

Oh, I wish I could just go down those stairs,

get on a train and go home.

Val, where is your home? I don't believe you said.

Albany, New York. The state capital.

Your folks still live there?

My mother. She's all the family I have now.

There's not much opportunity for a girl to work in New York.

Well, I thought I could do better out west,

but if I'd known what it was gonna be like, I never would have come.

Oh, it's not really that bad.

We've got some fine towns and some fine folks.

Most of whom wear guns.

Almost everyone.

What's so special about Albany? I imagine people get hurt in Albany.

People probably even get murdered in Albany.

Probably, but I don't have to see it.

I didn't have to see the kindest man I'd ever known shot down in cold blood!

- What's the matter? What's going on? - Not a thing, little brother.

We're just talking.

I'm sorry.

I... I didn't mean to lose my temper.

That's all right. You were a little rough on her, weren't you?

- Frankly, that was the idea. - You wanted me to lose my temper?

- Why? - I was trying to help.

Well, I once knew an army doctor.

He told me people never get hysterical alone.

They have to have an audience. The best cure is to slap their face.

And the next best thing is to tell 'em something that'll shock 'em.

You're right.

We're going to... We're gonna be here for two days together before the trial.

The last thing you want is an hysterical woman.

Thank you, Candy. I'll try and do better.

Val, you, uh, you said you were from Albany.

What made you pick Sand Dust?

I didn't exactly pick it.

I was going to Virginia City and this is where my money ran out.

Virginia City, huh?

Well, listen, when this is all over with,

you'll have to make it all the way on out and pay us a little visit.

We could rig up enough money to buy a stage ticket.

- Don't you reckon, little brother? - I think we can guarantee it.

Mr. Haskell told me about the Ponderosa.

But I'm not sure I can accept.

Well, you'd be more than welcome, I assure you.

Take my word for it, I wasn't even raised there, it's quite a layout.

- Who is it? - Deputy Jensen. It's all right, sir.

Coming on dinnertime. Sheriff thought you folks might wanna eat.

Dinner? Your stomach must be three hours slow and mine's three hours fast.

- We'll be out in a minute. - We'll be waiting.

Tell me the truth. Do you think the Slader gang will try anything?

Well, it's a rough gang. I don't think we ought to take any chances.

Now I am scared.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Scared, cautious, it's about the same thing.

You're looking at three very cautious individuals.

Shall we go?

All right, folks, please.

Ah, fresh air.

The restaurant's just down the street, the Clover Bee.

All right, Short, lead off.

Get behind the wagon!

Broad daylight. They all want you pretty bad.

It cost them. Three of 'em came in. They left two behind.

They killed Short.

- Can you walk? - Yeah, if somebody gives me a hand.

Get him to the hotel. Rivers, take care of Short.

- Thanks. - That goes for you too.

I want everybody at the hotel. Nobody leaves without my permission.

Yeah. They came from three different directions, Sheriff.

A little better timing and you'd be fresh out of witnesses.

Well, I promise you one thing. Billy Slader's gonna stand trial

and you're gonna be there to testify against him

if I have to deputize every able-bodied man in this town.

Sheriff, I hope you don't break that promise.

A murder trial's a holiday for a lot of people.

Are you sure Joe's gonna be all right?

Oh, yeah. I saw the wound.

He's hurting some now, but he'll be all right.

The doctor and Hoss have been in there almost an hour.

They're probably tying a pretty little bow on his bandages.

Or teaching Joe how to use that crutch.

Any one of 'em down there could be of the Slader gang.

You know something?

You worry too much.

Now, you follow instructions exactly like I told you

and that leg'll heal a month sooner than if you put weight on it too soon.

Yeah, don't worry, Doc, I will. Much obliged.

- Joe, do you feel all right? - Oh, he's fine.

It's more of a burn than a break. That bullet just barely grazed the bone.

Now, Joe, like I said, get lots of rest.

And, uh, no foot races.

Don't worry about it, Doc. I'll keep him down. Thanks.

Hey, thank you very much. I guess this isn't gonna be too bad.

Here I am practically an invalid, three people to wait on me hand and foot.

Take advantage of it, little brother.

Once we get back to the Ponderosa, it's every man for himself.

Yeah, I know. Speaking of when we get back to the Ponderosa...

We made a decision. When we get back, you're gonna be with us.

And we're not gonna take no for an answer.

I'd like that. Thank you very much for the invitation.

And for saving my life.

I think a little trip'll do her good after all that's happened.

Dunkel.

- How's it feeling? - I'll live.

- We're all living. - So far.

I'm sorry about it. I'm real sorry.

I just never expected anybody to hit in broad daylight, not even Doug Slader.

Well, what we're talking about now, Sheriff,

is what are we gonna do about the next time?

You do agree there will be a next time?

I've deputized another half a dozen men.

I've got a way to get you from here to the courthouse.

If he wants to get you this time, he'll need an army.

For a little while there, I thought he already had one.

We'll be ready.

How's Valerie holding up?

Well, much better than expected to be, frankly.

- She'll be fine. - Well, I got one piece of good news.

I got a telegram from Judge Wheeler. He should be here by noon tomorrow.

We can get down to business or are we gonna have a lot of lawyer palaver?

Judge Wheeler doesn't waste time. That trial will start tomorrow.

Meantime, just hang on.

We'll do that, Sheriff.

Well, only 24 more hours.

I might even beat this game.

Yeah, why don't you deal us all in?

I get the feeling it's gonna be the longest 24 hours we've ever had.

Mmm.

Told you they'd mess it up.

- You could have done better? - You know it.

Any of those witnesses get a good look at you at Haskell's?

Not a chance.

One man, Doug, one gun.

One's enough, if it's a good man holding it.

Get moving.

I get three whole shares. Three.

Well, you got 'em.

Move.

- I'll play these. - What do you mean, you'll play those?

You're always playing a pat hand.

Hold it. Stop right there.

- It's supper for the witnesses. - We can see that. Take the tray.

Turn around.

All right, give it back.

Hold it, hold it.

- Who's there? - Jensen. Your supper's here.

He's clean, Mr. Cartwright.

- Smells like fried chicken. - That's what it is.

- And hot biscuits too. - Hey.

- A loser dropped in. - But I searched him.

He had it on the tray. Get him out of here.

Val, why don't you go on over to your room?

That Slader bunch really means business. I'll be glad when this is over.

The trial hasn't even started yet.

Folks, let's go.

Walk behind this lead wagon.

OK, let's move out.

No guns in the courtroom. You gents leave 'em all here.

That's right. Judge Wheeler's orders. No sidearms except mine.

All rise.

Circuit court's now in session.

The Honorable Judge Horace Wheeler presiding.

Be seated.

At the first sign of any disturbance, I will order this courtroom cleared.

If the prosecution is ready?

Ready, Your Honor.

So Doug Slader dropped his brother. What happened then?

Billy Slader ran back through the barn, went into Mr. Haskell's office.

When I got to the back door, I heard a shot,

I kicked the door open and I saw Billy Slader fire at Mr. Haskell again.

Who else was in the office besides you, Slader and Mr. Haskell?

Miss Townsend.

Just compose yourself, Miss Townsend. Take as much time as you like.

I'm sorry. Forgive me.

It's quite understandable. The loss of an old friend.

But all we need to know is what you saw that afternoon.

Well, I was surprised.

I was frightened. Everything just...

Miss Townsend, did you see Billy Slader

come into the office where you were working?

- Yes. - Did he have a gun in his hand?

I don't know. I... I can't say.

After Billy Slader came in, did you see Mr. Haskell get shot?

I don't know.

Well, no, I didn't see him.

I was so frightened, I kept my eyes closed.

Did you see Billy Slader shoot Matt Haskell?

No, I really didn't.

Miss Townsend, you've told this court

that you were present when Matt Haskell was killed.

Well, yes, but... but I was so frightened that I didn't look.

I heard the shots, but I didn't see anything.

That's all, Miss Townsend.

But if you do decide that the evidence here presented

does prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, Billy Slader,

shot and killed Mr. Haskell,

then you must return a verdict of guilty of murder.

The jury will retire in the custody of the bailiff.

This court is now in recess.

Hey. Hope I didn't scare you.

No, it's all right.

- Couldn't sleep, huh? - No.

Me neither.

You know, I can't figure out about my brother Hoss.

He can sleep through anything.

Once he gets to snoring, there's no way for anybody else to dose off.

You know, I really didn't do very well when I was testifying this morning.

You did fine. Everybody was nervous.

No, but, actually, I couldn't remember.

I don't think I really saw anything.

Well, it's all gonna be over pretty soon, maybe tomorrow.

- Do you think so? - I don't see any reason why not.

You wanna see him hang, don't you?

Yeah.

Yeah, I saw him kill Mr. Haskell in cold blood, pump two shots in him.

I wanna see him hang.

Nobody's thinking about Billy Slader.

Did he think about Mr. Haskell?

He was afraid. Mr. Haskell went for his gun.

It's funny you didn't think of those things at the trial.

All any of you are thinking about is seeing him hang.

Yeah, right now that's what I think about Billy Slader.

I think about that and the innocent people that have been killed.

I think about his brother and where he is now and what he's gonna do next.

There was $40,000 in that safe,

enough to buy a poor man anything he wanted,

land, a roof over his head.

You wouldn't know about that, would you?

Your father owns the biggest ranch in Nevada.

I'll bet you never wanted anything you didn't have.

Val, everybody wants things they don't have,

but they don't kill innocent people to get them.

I'll bet you never had to fight for anything in your life.

Everybody fights for the things they want.

Val, there's a big difference between fighting and killing.

You don't know how lucky you are.

Get away from the window.

I told you to get away from the window.

Get down. Get down.

- You all right? - I told you to stay down.

What's going on? Open up.

Shot through the window.

- You all right? - Who is it?

Jensen.

Came from outside. Nobody hurt.

Check outside.

- They won't give up, will they? - No.

Doesn't make any difference whether they hit anybody or not.

By tomorrow every man on that jury is gonna know what happened.

They're gonna start wondering

whether they ought to find Billy Slader guilty or not.

All rise.

Circuit court's now in session. Judge Horace Wheeler presiding.

You may be seated.

- Has the jury reached a verdict? - Yes, your Honor.

Return the jurymen to the box.

Everybody freeze.

Anybody moves without being told, the judge is a dead man.

You, Sheriff, with your hands up, come here.

Now, take 'em off, Sheriff.

No matter what you do to me or to anyone else here,

you'll answer to the law for this.

Shut up.

Now, come on.

On your feet, Cartwright. You're coming too.

Don't try it, big man, or he gets it right here.

Now, come on.

You too, come on.

Hold it, hold it. Stay here, folks, or a lot of innocent people'll get killed.

All right, back off or I drop the judge.

What did I tell you, Cartwright? I told your brother Doug'd have me out of jail.

Come on.

- They're just walking up the street. - Better let 'em go.

If you don't, they'll kill the hostages.

Hold it!

Go ahead, shoot!

Kill yourself a judge.

Scared blue. Everybody in this town is scared to breathe.

You ain't scared, are you, Val?

You just stay close to me, you won't get hurt.

Didn't know she was my girl, did you, Cartwright?

Didn't know she was in on the robbery.

Signaled us with the curtain from Haskell's window

to tell us when to come into the store.

That's why up in the room they didn't shoot at your shadow on the blind.

Yeah, that's right, Cartwright. We took real good care of her.

Come on. Let's get to the horses.

There's gotta be a back way out of here.

Let's find it.

Get Limpy here up on a horse.

Cartwright, you're gonna pay for that bullet in my arm.

Cover him. You're riding with me.

Why'd you help him, Val?

So you could have that ranch you were talking about for the two of you?

Yes, because I know what it's like to want just a little of what others have.

Hurry it up.

You're never gonna have that ranch, just more killing.

Tell him, Billy. We've gonna have a ranch.

Don't hold your breath.

But you promised.

Yeah. Yeah, I promised a lot of things, like there wouldn't be any killing.

Now, come on.

I'm not going, not until you promise.

Suit yourself.

Billy, you're not gonna hurt anyone ever again.

- Val. - I'm sorry.

Don't you worry, we'll get you a doctor.

I'm scared.

Please, hold my hand.

- I'll give you a hand. - I can get in the wagon by myself.

I'm sure you can, but I ain't got nothing else to do.

Well, Sheriff, thank you for the use of the buckboard.

- We'll see that you get it back. - No hurry.

- Hey, you about ready to go? - Me?

I've been ready to go ever since we came into this town.

We better get on the way. It's a long way home.

It sure is, and a lot of folks don't get there.

Thank you, Sheriff. Giddyap.

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