ANNOUNCER: The following program
is brought to you in living color on NBC.
(fanfare playing)
Oh, you two are a big help.
Here I had that gal sweet-talked,
eating right out of my hand,
you two have to bust in and hustle me out of there.
Well, you just be grateful
we got you out of trouble before it happened.
Yeah. Well, you know what I think?
Well, it couldn't be much; it takes brains to think.
Yeah, well, I think you're jealous.
Just 'cause I find the only pretty gal in town
who's not wearing some man's brand.
Didn't I tell you he's short on brains?
Ah, but she was wearing some man's brand, Casanova,
and he was rounding up a few of his friends,
and they were fixin' to take you apart.
But there was no talk about putting you back together again.
HOSS: And me and Adam being the charitable fellers we are,
we just decided your hide might be worth saving.
Uh, not that we care, but, uh, Pa might've been a little upset.
(distant gunshot)
That was a.45.
Sounds like it came from old Pete Redfern's place.
Nah, he don't own no.45.
Hyah.
(horses approaching)
(breathing weakly)
HOSS: Pete.
(weakly): They got everything.
Three years' work gone.
Pete... did you get a good look at 'em?
(groans) They was wearing masks.
One of 'em was a big... redhead.
A redheaded man?
(groans)
Hat fell off.
There was... four of 'em.
Pete... don't you worry,
we're gonna get a doctor for you out of Virginia City.
LITTLE JOE: How is he?
He's just fine.
OI' Pete ain't hurtin' no more.
(theme song playing)
Hello, Miles.
Ah, morning, Mr. Cartwright.
Denver around?
Yeah, inside.
Walkin' about six foot off the ground.
Nervous as a rustler in church.
He hasn't had this buggy out since that schoolteacher left.
Now, don't tell me he's gettin' married.
No! Ain't gonna get married; don't have to.
Gonna have a woman around the place again.
- Connie's coming home?! - Yep.
By golly! Ha-ha!
- 4:00 stage. - Yeah?
I tell you, Mr. Cartwright, that man's scared to death.
(Ben laughs)
And I reckon since she's been back to that Eastern school
going on four years, he figures she's the queen of England.
(both laugh)
Well, you know, she's gonna see a lot of changes in this place.
Yeah, Denver's done a good job with it in four years.
Well, for the love of Zachary P. Taylor.
That you, Denver?
Yeah. That's me, Denver.
Where are you preaching?
Nowhere.
But I wish I was.
Behind a pulpit, I could take off these doggone gaiters.
(Ben chuckles)
Ben, do you think a man's feet keep on growing?
Well, I've heard that, uh, when a person gets older
his body shrinks... I don't know about feet, though.
Well, I haven't had these gaiters on since the Haroldson wedding,
but I swear, either they're a size smaller
or my feet are a size larger.
(Ben chuckles)
Ben, you think I look all right?
Well, you know, if I didn't know better,
I'd swear you were a senator.
- I'm going in to meet Connie! - I know! I know!
- Did Miles tell you? - Yeah, he told me.
Sure I told him.
I ain't forgot how to talk.
Doesn't seem like four years, does it?
It does to me.
I tried to get the house fixed up
so Connie'd have a decent place to come home to.
I don't know... you think she'll like it?
Oh, looks real nice.
I had some new curtains made for her room.
- Yeah? - Some kind of lace.
Uh, uh, they're real pretty to me.
Well, then it is real pretty.
Eh, what are you worried about?
That little girl won't even know the place.
I know, I know. But she's grown up now.
18 her last birthday.
You make it sound like she's an old maid.
When she left here, she was a kid.
What do you know about it, you old goat?
Who's an old goat?
I ain't more than two years older than you are.
That makes you an old goat.
For two cents, I'd quit.
For two cents, I'd fire you.
Now, hold on, you two.
How long have you known each other?
Too dang long.
Since before Connie was born... that's long enough.
Well, Denver, if I were you, I'd hold on to Miles as a foreman.
You give me one good reason why I should.
Well, if you don't, Connie'll have your hide.
(Miles chuckles)
(Ben chuckles)
Hey, you better get going, Denver.
That stage is liable to be early.
Well, it hasn't happened yet, but I suppose it could.
Ben, you wouldn't want to ride in with me, would you?
Well, no, you... you two have a lot to talk about.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
- Four years is a long time. - Yeah.
Well, you sure I look all right, Ben?
- I told you! - Yeah, like a senator.
Ben, you can't lie worth a hoot.
(laughs)
Well, then, uh...
like a state senator, then.
Oh, there is one thing.
Yeah, what's that?
Well, I was thinking...
it's a little short notice, I know,
but this is Saturday night, and, uh, Connie coming home,
I thought I'd like to give a little welcome home party
for Connie at the Ponderosa tonight.
Well, that's fine, Ben.
If I can get these gaiters broke in by that time.
Well, if you want to, you can come barefoot.
- Thanks, Ben. - (Ben laughs)
Connie'll like a party.
Well, I guess I'd better get along home
and have the boys spread the word around about the party.
Oh, I, uh, won't be able to make the party, Mr. Cartwright.
Somebody's got to watch the store.
Aw, sorry about that, Miles.
HOSS: That's all we found on him, Pa.
We followed the four men till we lost their trail,
then we went back and buried Pete.
Not very much to leave after a lifetime of hard work, is it?
What could anybody expect to get robbing old Pete Redfern?
Well, I don't know, Adam.
Some people said Pete did fairly well with that mine of his.
He could've had some money stashed away somewhere.
Pa, this seems to me like it's a...
like it's an organized outfit.
This is the third robbery in less than a month.
Now it's the first killing.
Pete was killed because he got a good look at one of the men.
Oh, that so?
What'd he say about him?
Well, not much, except... except he had red hair.
Hmm.
Well, I'll talk to Denver McKee.
He might be able to pick up the trail you boys lost.
Yeah, he... probably could at that.
Old Denver's about half bloodhound anyhow.
Well, meantime, you go ahead
and pass the word around about the party.
I don't think Pete would want to spoil Connie's homecoming.
You keep quiet about this.
I'll talk to Denver.
Right, Pa.
(door closes)
(sniffs)
Hey, is that you I smell, little brother?
Well, it couldn't be you or Adam.
You two smell like horses.
(sniffs)
Smells a bit like the Wednesday Afternoon Ladies' Society,
don't you think?
Yeah, or maybe-maybe Walsh's livery stable.
Hey, will you fellas take a long walk?
Like, to China?
Well, now, little brother, we'd be happy to,
but we gotta hang around here a little...
take care of your hide.
Well, I'll tell Connie McKee to be sure to thank you.
Oh, uh, Joe, uh... remember, don't mention anything
about Pete Redfern at the party, okay?
Yeah, right.
Did he have any kin?
No, no.
According to Pa, his wife died a few years back
and that's how come he's out here mining.
Hmm. Well, you boys see
a redheaded man at the party tonight,
be sure to shoot first and talk about it later.
Hey, wait a minute.
Josh Perkins is coming to that party tonight.
He's redheaded and the best dang barber in Virginia City.
I sure wouldn't want to shoot him.
Well, you know, I would if I were you.
Look at the haircut they gave him.
(playing "My Bonnie")
Here you are, Charlie.
Wonder what's keeping Denver McKee
and that daughter of his. They're late.
Now, listen, Fleming,
have you ever taken a woman anywhere and be on time?
Little Connie McKee.
You know, the way she used to ride that horse,
I thought she'd break her neck
before she got a chance to go to school.
Wonder whether she changed the East or the East changed her.
I guess the East rubbed some rough spots out of her,
but I imagine she's still the same girl she was.
Least I hope so, for Denver's sake.
He was shaking like a leaf
when he went to pick her up at the stage.
Here's to Denver McKee.
The greatest sheriff Colorado ever had.
Here's to Denver McKee.
The best Indian scout in the U. S. Army.
Here's to Denver McKee.
The most frightened father in Nevada.
(horse approaching)
Ah, there they come.
It's got to be Connie 'cause she's with old Denver.
I don't know.
It don't look like Connie to me.
You want to know something, fellas?
I don't really care who that is.
Welcome home, Connie.
Hello, Little Joe. It's so nice to see you.
Hey, wait a minute.
Is that the way to say hello to an old friend?
In the East, that's the way we treat fresh men.
Looks like you two are going to take up
just where you left off four years ago... still fighting.
Hello, Hoss. It's so good to see you.
Hi, Connie.
Doggone it, we like to not even recognized you.
You wait right here.
We got a real big surprise for you.
All right.
Adam, how are you?
Well, Connie, you have changed.
Not so you could notice.
You still got that same old sweet temper.
Hello. How are you?
Welcome home, Connie.
Thank you.
I didn't expect a welcome home party like this.
It's so wonderful.
Oh, I'd forgotten how beautiful the Ponderosa is.
Well, she put on her best party dress for you.
Denver, she's your daughter...
you'd better introduce her to the guests.
Thanks, Ben.
Folks, most of you remember my little girl,
but for those who don't, Connie McKee.
- Welcome home. - Good to see ya. - Welcome home, honey.
(festive accordion music plays, guest converse)
Oh, it's beautiful!
But it's a shame to cut it.
Well, we can't eat it till you do.
Yeah, just make a wish first, and then blow.
(laughing and cheering)
She's a real beauty, Denver.
She sure is, Ben.
I can say that 'cause I can't take any credit for it.
She's the spitting image of her mother.
Yeah.
I only hope I've done right.
About what?
Connie.
How do you know about girls, Ben?
You see, I didn't want her to grow up here
like a wild bronco,
marry the first saddle tramp that asked her.
Oh.
Or get tired of the ranch and head for San Francisco
to twist the town by the tail.
I wanted to give her what you've given your boys...
security, background.
I want her to have a chance
to see something besides steers and horses and a kitchen stove.
Well, you've done it.
And I know it hasn't been easy.
Thank you.
Here's a little peace offering. Why don't we call it a truce?
Well, seeing as you started the war, I accept.
There'll be another war, Little Joe,
if you try to hog the guest of honor.
Uh, Connie, why don't we go somewhere
where we can draw up a peace treaty?
I have a better idea: Let's have some punch.
Hey, that is a good idea. Why don't you two go ahead?
Well, come on, fellas.
Connie and I are old friends.
But Connie wants to make new friends, don't you, Connie?
Since you've been East,
Little Joe's a changed man, Connie.
He doesn't seem any different to me.
CLANCY: That's just on the surface.
Underneath, he's wilder than a locoed steer, right, Mort?
MORT: Wilder, some times.
In Virginia City, they have what they call
the Girls Protective Association.
When Little Joe comes into town, all those mamas go into action.
Why, Little Joe, I had no idea!
Miss Connie, would you care to meet some of my friends?
Yes, I'd love to.
Oh, Connie, I...
I hope she isn't really mad at Little Joe.
Oh, no, she's not mad at Joe.
She's trying to show him that he isn't the only man in Nevada.
Do him good.
What's the matter, little brother?
You having trouble?
She acts like I got typhoid fever or something.
What's the matter with me, anyway?
Uh, got a couple hours, I'll tell you.
(Hoss chuckles)
Ah, never mind.
She's not the only girl in Nevada.
Mm, but she's the prettiest.
Oh, come on.
You're not gonna really eat the rest of that?
Hmm. It's too good a cake to let go to waste, Joe.
Thanks so much for everything, all of you.
That even includes you, Little Joe.
DENVER: Thanks, Ben.
For a while there tonight,
you made me forget Connie'd ever been away at all.
Well, the short straw stays, the rest of us get Denver,
see if we can pick up the trail of the killers.
Well... guess who's got it.
Guess you stay, Joe.
LITTLE JOE: Shoot.
Well, I still don't see why we all can't go.
Well, somebody has to stay here.
Make yourself useful, Joe.
Help number-one cousin with the dishes.
(Ben laughs)
(gunshot)
(two gunshots)
Uh, that's pretty good shooting there, Denver.
A useless way to spend money, Ben.
I just started wondering if I still had the touch.
Well, I guess it's a little like swimming...
a man never forgets.
- You ready to go? - Yeah, I'm ready.
I guess we better get started.
Get started where?
Connie, I didn't want you to be bothered with any of this,
but you see, yesterday,
an old prospector named Pete Redfern got killed,
his life savings stolen.
Oh, that's terrible!
Well, it's more than that.
Last night, two men got killed,
and the Silverado Mine payroll was taken.
We're just going out, scout around,
see what we can find out.
I see.
But why do you have to go?
But Connie, I just told you.
Three men have been killed.
I'd almost forgotten about the violence in the West.
And the fact that nobody is immune
or wants to be.
Well, we mean to try to put a stop to this
before there's any further violence.
Do you?
Or do you enjoy it?
No, we're just trying to do what we feel we have to do.
Well, leave my dad out of it.
He spent most of his life with violence.
It wasn't a game with him.
It was his business, and he retired.
Can't you leave him alone?
Connie, these are neighbors asking me to help
because I know about these things.
Connie, last year, 200 head of steer vanished,
completely, without a trace...
and 50 men couldn't find them.
Now we're looking for four men.
Now, the sheriff needs all the help he can get.
Now, if we find the men, and I hope we do...
well... (sighs)
...it's not gonna make us feel good,
or not gonna make us feel big and brave.
That's right, Connie.
None of us get any joy out of this.
Just something that has to be done.
I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright.
You will be careful, won't you, Dad?
I didn't get this old being careless.
(Connie sighs)
Connie, you try not to think about it.
Where'd you leave Little Joe... back at the Ponderosa?
Oh, he's got a few chores to do.
Uh, not too many.
Nice day for a ride.
If Little Joe wants to see me, he knows where I am.
The only trouble is, he can't leave the ranch.
Well, let him stay there.
I certainly have no intention of running after him.
Hyah. Hyah...
Hyah. Hyah.
Oh, you're late.
Don't tell me you were expecting me.
Oh, Pa didn't tell you I had to stay here
and do a few things around the house, huh?
I really don't remember, because I really don't care.
Oh.
Well, in that case, you probably wouldn't be very interested
in a little present I was fixing up for you.
- A present for me? - Mm-hmm.
Yet if you don't care,
there really isn't much point to it.
Did I say that?
Yeah, well, didn't you?
Well, I may have,
but that was before you mentioned a present.
Oh.
Well, they really taught you a lot
in that girls school back East.
How to be mercenary in one easy lesson.
You're so wrong, Little Joe.
No woman alive needs that lesson.
She's born that way.
Oh, I just didn't know they admitted to it.
But since you did...
How do you like him?
Oh, Little Joe, he's beautiful!
If that's the way you say thanks,
it'll just take me a second
to rustle up about a dozen more just like him.
Never mind.
One beautiful horse like this is enough for anybody.
Maybe so, but I don't hardly think
one kiss is enough for anybody.
Why, Little Joe,
I thought you had to stay back at the ranch.
Not when I have something better to do,
like, uh, kissing my best girl.
You mean, kissing girls, don't you?
Any girl?
Well, now, where in the world did you get that notion?
It wasn't hard.
Almost everyone at the party last night
volunteered that information.
And more.
Oh, you're not gonna believe them.
Well, why shouldn't I?
Because they're lying.
You mean there's no such girl as, uh, Joan Curry?
Oh, sure there's such a girl as Joan, but she's a...
And, uh, how about, uh, Carol Childress,
and Judy Polk and, uh, Sally Putnam?
How do you do it?
You haven't been back 24 hours,
and you know every girl I've ever talked to.
I have only mentioned four.
Would you like me to tell you the rest of the list?
No, never mind.
Of course, uh, you didn't do anything
when you were back East, except maybe knit socks.
Oh, you know very well I went to a girls school.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, only the way I heard it,
there was a boys school right down block.
How long is your list?
You'll die wondering, Little Joe.
Look, Connie, those girls didn't mean anything to me.
They... They were just...
Girls?
Yeah, that's right; they were just girls.
Well, that's exactly what I am... a girl.
Mm-mm.
No, you're a very special girl.
Connie...
there was something I wanted to ask you.
Are you going back east?
Well, I'm not sure. Why?
Well, just don't want you to go back, that's all.
Well, that's hardly reason enough.
Because I think you're very beautiful.
That still isn't much of a...
Because I like you very much.
I've only been back for 24 hours, Little Joe.
Tell me the same thing in 24 days.
Now if we cut across the rimrock,
we can come in through the breaks.
Hi. How come you three are back so soon?
We lost the trail.
Four horses?
How'd you lose a trail like that?
It wasn't easy.
They went into the flint canyons up near timberline.
Rock's so hard there,
you can drive a thousand head of cattle through that part
and never leave a sign.
They got to be up here in the Sierras somewhere.
Up one of those high meadows, probably.
- They, They gotta have grass and water. - BEN: Mm.
Yeah, but Adam, there must be 100 places like that up there.
We could ride for a year and not find them all.
Or we could find them the first day.
They've had all the breaks so far.
It's about time we had one.
We'll ride out at dawn.
Uh, Pa?
Hmm?
I, uh... I'm sorry.
I can't go with you.
Oh?
You mean there's, uh...
There's something you prefer to the High Sierras?
Well, no, it's just that, uh,
you see, I didn't expect you'd be back so soon,
so I promised Connie I'd take her into Virginia City.
Ah.
HOSS: Hey, Joe,
ain't you afraid you might be over-courting that little gal?
I mean, you keep on like this
and she's liable to think you want to marry her.
ADAM: Uh, Joe...
I think you ought to ride up into the mountains with us.
It, uh... well, there's a lot of snow up there.
And maybe it'd cool you off.
(laughs, coughs)
HOSS: Yeah, what-what's your big rush anyhow, Joe?
You done without that little gal for four years.
One more day ain't going to hurt nothing.
Pa, you want me to ride with you, I will.
(laughing): No.
No, you go ahead with your plans with Connie.
Thank you.
(Ben laughs)
You know...
I think our little brother's coming down
with a real bad case of love-itis.
Mm-hmm.
Never mind the love-itis; let's get back to this.
Now, look, we get up through the high meadow...
Pa, I'm getting about half-tired of this canyon.
We must have been up here seven or eight times.
I'm not only tired of the canyon, I'm just plain tired.
But this is where Denver lost the trail,
so this is where we start hunting.
Start and finish.
Above here, there's a half a mile of flint and wash rocks,
four canyons, and all the points of the compass to choose from.
- Pa. - Hmm.
What if they ain't up there at all?
What if they just come this far
to make us think they're going up there?
With us behind them?
They'd have to head for high country.
Just a minute now, Adam.
What do you got in mind, boy?
Well, sir, a fox will double back on the hound, won't it?
- Yeah. - How come a man can't?
I mean, they could lead their horses across the rocks
and get over into Little Branch Canyon,
and go all the way back down the valley,
and then leave us hunting up here in the big country.
Yeah.
That might be just worth looking into.
Come on.
HOSS: Four or five horses, Pa.
They did double back.
Well, one sure way to cover up your tracks
is to ride down the busiest road you can find.
They did take quite a chance, though.
They might have been seen.
Yeah, but I'm thinking that they just didn't care if they were.
What do you mean, Pa?
He means that the killers aren't strangers.
That's right.
They could afford to double back.
I'm beginning to think
that they could even be one of our neighbors.
(two gunshots)
Come on!
(gunshot)
You can't keep your finger off that trigger.
HARLEY: Wasn't my fault one of them saw us coming.
Can still be easy.
I'll throw enough lead into him to keep him busy.
Brennan can work around back of the cabin
and drop a torch on the roof.
(gunshot, man groans)
(gunshot, bullet ricochets)
(horses approaching)
Come on, leave it!
Let's go, Hoss.
- Hyah! - Hyah!
(man groans)
Corey!
Here, sit on this barrel.
- (Corey mumbles) - Easy.
Come out of nowhere.
One minute it's quiet as a church.
The next minute, Jess is down
and bullets are whizzing
like bees at a swarming.
Did you get a look at any of them?
Saw four of 'em, all masked but one.
Hat on the, the back of his head,
uh, red hair showing.
I never seen him before,
but I'd know him if I ever seen him again.
It was no use, Pa. They got fresh horses.
Ours were done when we got here.
What about the others, Corey?
Masked, like I said, but there was one...
clothes, maybe, or the way he moved.
L-I couldn't put a name to him,
but I, l-I swear I've seen him a dozen times.
Looks like you was right about 'em being our neighbors, Pa.
Yeah.
Let's get Corey to a doctor
and then we'll make a few social calls.
Easy, Corey.
Easy does it.
(men laughing)
Well, the boys seem happy.
How about you?
Don't like the way things are going.
Why?
What's wrong?
There weren't to be no killings.
We decided that when we started all this.
Look, when you point a gun at a man,
sometimes he has to go for his own.
When that happens, you just got to pull the trigger.
If I learned one thing as a sheriff, it was that.
You never learned to shoot no man in the back.
Harley's killing of those two payroll guards
got this whole valley stirred up.
Well, maybe Harley was a little hasty.
Won't happen again.
I'll take care of that.
Meantime, we've got a posse on our necks.
Why worry about that?
I've led other posses around in circles
till they got dizzy and quit.
I can do it again.
This ain't other posses.
This is Ben Cartwright and his boys.
They ain't going to quit.
We're simple, honest cowmen from sunup till dusk,
just chasing strays out of the draws.
Denver, they're not strays.
Any good cowman rides by, he's going to see
you're just drifting a few head up and down the valley.
Now, we've been in this a long time.
How come you're getting sweat up about it now?
'Cause I'm thinking of Connie,
like we both was when we started.
Miles, I know you love that kid like she was your own daughter.
I know you're worried about her finding out; she won't.
Couple of more jobs like the last one,
we'll have everything we ever wanted for her.
I don't figure it that way.
Now, wait a minute.
You getting ideas about quitting me?
We both ought to quit, Denver.
But I don't think we can.
What are you getting at?
First it was just you and me.
Then you sent me out to the Colorado badlands...
pick up a lot of hard cases,
give 'em big talk about big pickings.
Well, they've had a taste of it.
You can't expect them to let go now.
I can call this thing off anytime I want to.
Can you?
Harley, Brennan, all of you.
We heard talk about some of you boys wanting to pull out.
Where'd you hear that?
The payroll we've piled up... we're better than $30,000 now.
That's nothing to what we're going to do.
We got more men coming in, good men.
Denver here was wondering how you men felt
about a man quitting with his share if he wants to.
Why, nobody better even think of pulling out.
We come here to clean up.
That sets real good with me and that's what I'm aiming to do.
Isn't that the way you feel about it, boss?
Sure.
Yeah, Miles and I just wanted to see how you felt.
Don't worry, boss.
The first man tries to run out on us, I'll kill.
(Ben sighs wearily)
Ben! Come on in.
You fellows look as if you could use a drink.
A little water would be right fine.
Trouble?
Well, they, they jumped Winkler and Corey.
Wouldn't you know they'd put up a fight.
Winkler got killed and Corey got hit.
Bad?
Well, not too bad.
Thanks.
Got in the shoulder.
He'll be all right.
Did he recognize any of them?
Nope.
But we ran across
the trail of one of them before... a redhead.
That redhead had to be the one that killed ol' Pete Redfern.
BEN: Ran across the trail of another one of them.
Corey tells me that he's seen him before.
Recognized him by his walk, set of his shoulders.
Corey says he must have seen him
a dozen times somewhere.
Without his mask, he'd be somebody we know.
Might even be a neighbor.
A neighbor?!
I find that hard to believe, Ben.
Well, I didn't want to believe it either,
but we picked up their trail today.
They doubled back on their tracks right down the main road.
They didn't have to worry about being seen
because they're seen there every day.
More killings every day.
That's why we're here, Denver.
I spent the better part of my life as a peace officer, Ben.
I was lucky.
I only caught one bullet.
You got a sheriff, you got all the men you need.
Don't ask me to press my luck.
You pressed it when you went out with us the other day.
We're all taking the same chance.
Not according to the odds.
I've been riding a streak of luck for 30 years.
I don't intend to press it any further.
So far, they've only hit the miners and the mine payrolls.
They might decide to branch out.
You could be helping to put out a fire in your own house.
My own house?
All right, about time I started taking care of my own house.
Been taking care of other people's houses for 20 years!
What the devil it ever get me?!
A hundred dollars a month, a lot of plaques on the wall,
a pat on the back and a bullet in the shoulder.
(Ben sighs)
Denver...
I had no idea you felt this way.
Well, now you know!
I'm sick and tired of taking care of other people's troubles!
Don't you think I owe something to my own kid?
Yeah, well, I guess you got a right
to your own way of thinking.
Not gonna press you.
But we're going out after those killers.
Come on, boys.
Hey, where'll I put these?
It's a good thing she ran out of money.
You'd have had to send in a hay wagon.
Oh, Little Joe, you know perfectly well
I needed every one of these things.
I'm sure you did, Connie.
- Stay to supper? - Uh, no, thanks.
I better show my face around the Ponderosa.
They're going to forget I'm a member of the family,
start charging me room and board.
He'll change his mind.
I'm going to put these things upstairs,
then I'll be down to cook supper, Dad.
You'd better stay, Little Joe.
She's a pretty good cook.
(sighs)
You got a wonderful girl there, Mr. McKee.
That's what I always wanted her to be.
I, uh...
I wanted to talk to you about Connie and me.
Well...
What's on your mind?
Well, sir, Connie and I have known each other
for a long time.
Haven't we, sir?
Yes, you have; quite a long time.
And I know you've probably heard a lot of stories about...
well, about me and those Virginia City girls,
but I just wanted you to know
that they didn't mean a thing to me; not any of them.
I hope you didn't tell them that at the time.
Well, uh, no, sir, not at the time.
I... Well, I'm...
Anyway, that's not the way it is with Connie and me.
I'm very fond of her, sir.
Fond, hmm?
And if Connie will have me, I...
Well, what I'm trying to say is, sir,
I'd like to ask her to marry me.
Well, I don't think there's any way
I can keep you from asking her.
Does that mean you'd rather I wouldn't?
I don't mean that at all.
All I ever wanted was for Connie to be happy,
have the chances other girls have.
Sir, that's what I mean to offer her.
Suppose I knew all along this'd happen.
I should've known.
I should have known.
I'm sorry I upset you, sir.
Well, I'll be getting on home now.
Tell Connie I'll see her soon.
Little Joe gone?
Yeah, he just talked to me.
I was hoping he would.
Like that, is it?
Yes, it's like that.
He mentioned marriage.
One thing at a time, Dad.
First you fall in love.
I thought you'd done that already.
Uh-huh.
But you have to give it time to grow.
To build dreams,
to be so filled with happiness in the wonder of it
that you're about ready to explode.
And then you get married.
Dear, all that we talked about...
selling all this, heading east.
You were so dead set on that when we first got here.
I know, but I didn't realize then.
You thought you couldn't be happy out here.
I didn't think so either.
That's what I didn't realize...
that geography has nothing to do with happiness.
Oh, Dad.
I know why you were talking about
selling out and going east.
And I'll always love you a whole lot more
because you were doing it for me.
But now you know.
I know.
Baby, all I ever wanted for you was happiness.
Well, all right, go ahead and say it.
What do you want us to say?
Aw, come on, Adam.
You been walking around it like it was a rattlesnake.
All right, it's somebody we know... a neighbor.
Well, come on, say the rest of it!
You think Denver McKee had something to do with it.
Now, nobody said that, Joe.
Nobody's even thinking it.
Oh, no? Then why did you tell me
about what Denver said about not wanting to help,
then you drop it so fast I could hear the thud when it hit?
The only thud you hear is your heart
when somebody mentions the name of McKee.
Pa, what do you really think?
I'd stake my life that Denver had nothing to do with it.
ADAM: Well, I hope you're right, Pa.
But we have to face the truth.
There was only one man that wasn't at Connie's party
the night the Silverado payroll was stolen.
That's right... Miles Briscoe.
Yeah.
You know, when I was telling Denver
about the party, Miles was with him.
He said he couldn't go to the party
'cause he had to look after things at the Flying M.
All right, so he wasn't at the party.
Does that prove anything?
No, of course it doesn't, Joe, I...
But it's worth looking into.
Hoss, why don't you ride out to the McKee place,
have a look around,
and if Miles leaves the ranch, trail him.
How long do you want me to stay, Pa?
Well, one of us will relieve you in the morning.
Ah, come on, don't look so worried.
Dad-burn you, Joe.
Like to scared me to death.
You must be half Injun.
You was plumb up on me before I knew it.
You ain't seen anything?
Not a thing.
I think we're wasting our time.
Yeah, well, we're young, brother.
We got plenty of time.
Maybe so, but as slow as it went last night,
I feel like I'm 90 years old already.
I'm gonna go get me some sleep.
All right. Breakfast is all ready.
- It is? - Mm-hmm.
Then sleep's going to be the second thing I get.
Hey, Hoss.
Take a look at that.
A redheaded man, a stranger, Miles and Denver.
Come on, let's go get Pa and Adam.
Right.
I'm telling you for the last time.
Don't you come around this ranch anymore.
That red hair is like a lantern.
You've been seen... twice.
Don't make any difference.
The two that seen me ain't doing any talking.
Well, you're wrong.
Pete Redfern identified you before he died.
And Corey, the miner you shot yesterday,
he's still alive.
Well, I must be out of practice.
You're not out of practice. You're just out of brains.
I think we ought to lay low for a while,
till things quiet down.
You fellas sound like you're getting a streak up your back.
You set up this play, Denver.
The rest of us have been taking all the risks.
Sure, we had to do a little shooting.
I want you to clear out of here!
You think I want my daughter to see you?!
No, I don't think much about your daughter
one way or the other, Mr. McKee.
And I'm tired of sleeping up in those rocks.
You got a bunkhouse back there.
I mean to use it.
(horse whinnies)
DENVER: Good morning, Ben.
Morning, Denver.
You know this man?
Sure he knows me, Ben. What about it?
We've been looking for a redheaded man.
HOSS: You're the only redheaded man in the area...
other than a barber in Virginia City.
Since when has being redheaded a crime?
Since we found out that a redhead killed two men,
and maybe two others.
Do you figure to do anything about it?
Dad!
Connie!
You take Connie back into the house.
Right.
Come on, Connie.
Come on.
BEN: Now put away your guns, boys.
You won't need 'em.
You're taking a lot of chances, aren't you, Ben?
I could outshoot you any day you lived.
Maybe so.
There's no reason for it to come to that.
Denver, why?
I'd have staked my life you had nothing to do with this.
Why?
That's very simple, Ben.
I ran out of money.
I did what I had to do.
And I'm not backing down from it.
There are other ways.
What other ways?
I did a good job as a marshal.
When I needed money, I turned to what I knew best.
I did a pretty good job at that, too.
Denver... I'm going to have to take you in.
Now give me your gun.
No, no, Ben.
You got to take it.
HOSS: Pa, he means it.
Yeah, Ben, I mean it.
No, Denver, no.
Denver...
Now don't you go blaming yourself, Ben.
A man pulls a gun on you, you got to draw your own.
You got to pull the trigger.
He could outdraw me any day of his life.
And he could shoot a lot straighter than that.
You sure you want to go?
I have to go, Joe.
I have to get away.
I need time to think... and time to forget.
I understand.
I love you.
ANNOUNCER: This has been a color presentation
of the NBC Television Network.