Bonanza s01e14 Episode Script

Morning, Ben.
Morning, boys.
Adam, is there any way we can stop this? ADAM: Well, that's up to John Henry.
LEEDS: He wants to fight.
You may fire at the count of three.
(cocking guns) One two three.
The next time you insult Sue Ellen Terry, I'll kill you.
(theme song playing) You were out there, weren't you? I guess you're mad I didn't get myself killed.
You tell me one thing.
Are you fixing to take up with Adam Cartwright? John, please.
No, you tell me.
It's none of your business.
You've been treating me like a biscuit eating dog.
That's my business, ain't it, getting treated like that by you? John, please don't make a scene.
I'll make a scene if Oh, I'm I'm sorry, Sue Ellen.
I I can't stay mad at you.
I got something for you.
It's beautiful.
Yes, beautiful.
I sent all the way to New York for it.
You gonna take it? I don't think I ought to, John.
I've hurt you enough already.
Hurt me more if you didn't take it.
(sighs) Thank you, John.
Look, I know you're angry, and you think that kind of thing is foolish, Pa, but I had to do it.
Why? He'd have called me a coward.
You let a fool like that John Henry take a shot at you just because you think he might call you a coward? Well, you've had your little duel.
You've made your grand gesture.
I hope you're satisfied.
Oh, come on now, Pa.
You've made a few grand gestures in your own time.
At a different place and at a different time.
Ah, then it isn't really the duel that's bothering you at all.
Now, what is it? You made a fool of yourself.
He insulted a lady who was with me at the time.
Obviously, you think that this lady is worth having a duel over.
Yes, I do.
Yes, well, I I suppose she's a pretty enough young thing.
But you're afraid she's going to be like her sister, hmm? I've heard talk about her.
Now, Pa, you always taught me that talk was cheap.
I've heard that she's been friendly with more than one man in Virginia City.
I know all that.
What else do you know? She lives with her sister in a house on K Street, she's very lovely, and I like being with her.
But how serious about her are you? Well, I I don't think I really know.
Son, I've known women like this before.
Look, Pa, what have you got against her, besides all the talk? I don't like the kind of life she leads.
Well, I don't like it either.
Neither does she for that matter, but that's not really the point.
Look, Pa, after all, I am a grown man.
Adam, there are some women who can bring a lot of trouble into a man's Oh, boy, you must be getting old, Pa.
Some women are worth a lot of trouble.
Hee-yaw.
Did you have plenty to eat? Plenty.
Good.
Always like to know I can please a man.
Why did you do that? 'Cause I wanted to.
Is that all? I don't know what you've heard, but I'm not as bad as you think I am.
I don't think you're bad.
I guess you've also heard that I have very expensive tastes.
Well, I never believe that kind of talk.
It's true, you know, I do.
Very expensive.
Ask anybody.
Ask John Henry-- just ask anybody.
Come here.
I'm just trying to be honest with you.
I said come here.
Don't you want to know what I am-- what I really am? I'm tired of talking.
Come here.
(drunkenly): * Where old times are not forgotten * * Look away, look away * * Away down Dixieland * Sir, I don't believe I have the honor of your acquaintance.
It's my pleasure, sir.
Well well, sir.
Accept my salute, sir.
And your lady, too, sir.
Oh, how could I make a mistake like that? I'd naturally suppose, sir, that you'd be with a lady.
Adam, please.
I didn't say nothing, sir! I didn't say nothing! Now suppose you apologize to the young lady, huh? I surely do, ma'am.
I do apologize.
Get him out of here, Adam, will ya? Get out of here.
"Get him out of here, Adam, get him out of here.
" She didn't always talk like that.
Go on, ask her about me, Cartwright.
Adam Go on, ask her.
Go on, ask her about old Dixie.
Go on.
Sorry this had to happen.
So am I.
Kind of ruined a beautiful day.
Forget about him.
There'll be others like him, Adam.
Men out of the past who hate me.
Will you forget about the past? But you won't ever hate me, will you, Adam? No matter what happens? How could I ever hate you? I think I'd better get you inside.
I think your sister's waiting up for you.
She always does.
Good night, Adam dear.
Come on.
Think you're fortunate, don't you? Just the luckiest Just the luckiest man in town.
But there have been a lot of lucky men ahead of you.
A lot of 'em.
(rooster crows) What are you doing, Hop Sing? Catching chicken for dinner.
Way you're going about it, we ain't gonna have dinner till a week from Sunday.
Oh, yes.
Chicken catch corn, Hop Sing catch chicken.
Very smart.
No, no, no.
Here, let me show you.
Here's the way to catch chickens.
Chickie, chick, chick, chick, chick.
Chickie, chick, chick.
Chickie, chick, chick, chick, chick.
(chickens squawking) Chickie, chick, chick, chick, chick.
Chickie, chick, chick, chick, chick.
Chickie, chick, chick, chick, chick.
Chickie, chickie Hey, Hoss what are you doing? Shh.
You're gonna scare all my chickens off.
Chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chick, chick.
Chickie, chickie, chick, chick.
(laughing) Here, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie.
Don't squash him, get him.
Chickie, chick, chick, chick, chick.
HOSS: Chickie, chickie, chick, chick.
Chickie, chickie, chick, chick.
Chickie, chickie, chickie, chick, chick, chick.
All right.
That'll teach you who can catch a chicken.
Very good.
Very funny.
Too skinny, thank you.
(laughing) (chicken squawking) Hey.
Where'd he get them two birds? Oh, while you were crawling around looking for that thing, he was catching chickens.
What's all the fuss about, anyway? Chicken for dinner.
It ain't Sunday.
Well, Adam's bringing his gal home.
You're kidding.
No.
You mean Sue Ellen Terry? Yeah.
Boy, I'll bet Pa is hopping mad.
Well, if he is, he ain't showing it.
(horse neighing) I've been looking to see you, Adam.
Uh, what about, Jesse? You and John Henry.
John Henry's a upstanding citizen.
Belongs to the right party.
What I mean is, I sure would hate to lose a vote on account of you having an itchy finger.
Oh, don't worry about it, Jesse.
Everything's settled between him and me.
That's good.
Mighty good.
Getting awful hard to round up enough votes come election time.
Right kind of votes, that is.
Namely for you, huh? That's about it.
I hear tell it was about that Terry girl.
Forget it, Jesse.
You been seeing a lot of her.
Have I? No use to get hostile.
I was just asking.
Now, you just back off.
Getting anywhere with her? Now, look, Jesse, I told you to back off.
There's no call for you to talk to me that way.
Your Pa and me have been friends a long time.
I got an interest in you.
Yes, but you haven't got that much interest.
Howdy, Sheriff.
Howdy, Dixie.
What you doing? Calling on voters.
Well, just two women in there, Sheriff.
Women don't vote.
Mighty thirsty day, ain't it? Go get yourself unthirsted.
Thank you, Sheriff.
Howdy, Miss Amelia.
Your sister at home? She hasn't the time for you now.
Oh, shucks, now.
Not now, Sheriff Sanders.
(chuckling) What's so funny? The sight of you sober and watering flowers.
It just don't seem to fit.
Maybe you can give Sue Ellen a message for me.
Tell her to stop messing with young Cartwright.
He ain't for her and never will be.
Now, you speaking as a friend of the family, Sheriff? Why, sure.
And what if Sue Ellen chooses not to mind what you've got to say? I don't want to see Adam Cartwright hurt, and I I'd hate to see your sister hurt, too.
She's such a pretty little thing.
A real pretty little thing, ain't she, Miss Amelia? (music box plays whimsical tune) * * * * Who were you talking to? Jesse Sanders.
Oh.
What did he want? He doesn't like you to see young Cartwright.
Oh, he doesn't? Well Well, speaking as a friend of the family, of course.
Oh, of course.
Here lace me up, will you? Oh, Amelia, have you been drinking again? (laughs) Honey, just a little touch of something for my quinsy.
I'd look out for that Jesse Sanders.
He's an important man.
Not that important.
Any man is important.
Oh, not so tight! I can't breathe! (gasping) Breathing isn't important.
Well, there.
I guess that ought to do it.
You know, you're a pretty little thing, Sue Ellen, like Jesse says.
Never thought you'd turn out as well as you did.
Thank you, Amelia.
(turns music box off) You know, I was always the beauty in the family.
That's what Papa used to call me-- Beauty.
You were just a skinny, homely little thing when Papa died.
Now look at us.
You're still very attractive.
Well, I hold my years well, if I do say so myself.
Oh, but Lordy, honey, you should have seen me when I first came here.
You told me about it many times.
I didn't have a thing.
Not a penny.
Just a little sister and some clothes.
But men looked at me.
Yes, indeedy, they looked.
I had a special way of coming into a room.
Never came through an ordinary doorway, uh-uh.
Always came down a flight of stairs.
Real slow.
Like a princess.
With just a little stop near the bottom, long enough for some lovely man to come over and offer his arm.
(laughs) Lordy, honey, the tricks I could teach you.
You've taught me a lot.
Yeah, I've done real well by you, and don't you ever forget it, Sue Ellen.
Don't you ever forget that when you were just a little thing and Papa died, nobody to take care of you, your big sister did everything for you.
I know you won't, though.
You-You've been real good to me, Sue Ellen.
I just don't know if I like you carrying on with Adam Cartwright like you are.
What do you mean? Well, you know what men are.
I've told you often enough.
Oh, yes, you've told me.
Uh, a man uses a woman, and then tosses her aside.
So you have to be very clever with them, and use them the way you used to use men and not get hurt.
Oh, Amelia, I've got a surprise for you.
There's more than one kind of man.
Adam's not like that.
Oh, no, honey.
He's not different.
He's a man.
You really don't like men, do you? Well, honey, sure I like men.
It's It's just that a girl like you has got to be careful.
What do you mean, a girl like me? Well, now, Sue Ellen, I don't want to say anything to upset you, but a man like Adam Cartwright-- he Well, you're just not in that class.
Because I work in a saloon? There's nothing wrong with being a saloon girl.
Oh, no, except that it makes me not good enough to marry Adam.
No.
You're not.
It's just not for you, Sue Ellen, any more than it was for me.
What have you done to me? Is that all I have to hope for? I've done everything for you.
Oh, you taught me to be a saloon girl.
How to tantalize men and cheat them into giving me things.
Well, things are important.
Not that important.
I won't be like that.
I'm not going to be like you, Amelia.
Don't you dare talk to me like that! Not after all the things I've done for you.
I've paid it all back.
I've kept you, Amelia.
I've used all the little tricks that you taught me to take care of you.
You don't know what you're saying! I know exactly what I'm saying.
You talk about men using me.
You're the one that used me, Amelia.
But that's all over now, because you're just going to have to take care of yourself.
'Cause I'm gonna marry Adam, if he'll have me.
Well, Miss Terry, you, uh you say that your father was a merchant? Oh, yes.
Uh, he had one of the biggest houses in-in St.
Louis.
Well, I, uh used to visit St.
Louis rather frequently.
Perhaps I've met your father.
Oh, I don't think so, really.
We spent most of our time abroad.
He was always getting Amelia-- uh, that's my sister-- and I out of school, and taking us off to Paris and-and London, and just everywhere.
Uh, some wine, Miss Terry? Oh, thank you.
I love good wine.
Adam? Ah, thanks, Pa.
Oh, my, it's so delicious.
Papa always said that you could tell a gentleman by the wine cellar he kept and by the way he trained his servants.
(chuckling) Yes.
I suppose, Miss Terry, that, uh that you had many servants? Oh, yes, yes, we had lots and lots of servants.
We were very rich.
Um, we moved in very exclusive circles.
Uh, Papa was one of the richest merchants in St.
Louis.
Oh, we had a-a large house and (gasps) Oops.
Oh, I'm terribly sorry.
It's all right.
Don't worry.
I'll get something to wipe it up.
Don't worry about it.
Don't No, it's all right.
Hop Sing will take care of that.
Adam, I don't feel very well.
I think you'd better take me home.
I'm sorry, Miss Terry.
I'll get your wrap.
What are you thinking? Oh, about you.
I'm sorry about tonight, Adam.
I tried to impress your father and your brothers, and I just made a big fool of myself.
Doesn't matter.
Oh, it does matter.
Matters so much.
My father wasn't a big merchant in St.
Louis.
(laughs) It doesn't make any difference what your father was or what he did.
He ran a small notions store, and we weren't rich, and we didn't have a big house, and we didn't have a lot of servants, and Are you very disappointed? (laughs) Question like that doesn't even deserve an answer.
And you will come back? You just try to keep me away.
Oh.
(gunshot, Sue Ellen screams) MAN: Hey, what's all the shooting about? What's happened? You better get the doctor.
Looks like somebody's (loud crowd chatter) Oh! Sue Ellen, honey, I knew this was bound to happen someday.
(loud, overlapping shouting) Open the door! (pounding at door) It's been fired, Jesse.
Took a couple of shots at the killer.
You and her have a fight? No.
This fellow that you, uh, took the shots at, uh, did you see him? Well, I saw him, but it was too dark to recognize him.
Then you was the only one who saw anybody.
There wasn't anybody else around.
Dixie was.
He says you killed the girl.
And you believe him? Maybe.
Maybe not.
Thing is, a lot of the voters have been listening to him and some of them believe him.
Just take off your gunbelt and empty your pockets on the desk here.
I'll fix up a receipt.
(pounding at door) I'm sorry, Jesse.
(mob clamoring) I'm going after the killer.
Hated to have to do that.
You boys go ahead and lock him up.
We'll hold him for murder.
(knocking on door) Jesse? Jesse, it's me, Ben Cartwright.
Put it away, Jesse.
You won't need it.
Just move easy and keep your hands away from your guns.
Did you think I'd come here to bust Adam out? I wasn't worried about you, Ben.
But afraid some of them voters might get ideas.
There's been some talk.
Oh, lynch talk? Yeah, there's been some mention of ropes.
Jesse, I want my boy out of here.
I reckon that's kind of natural for a pa to want his boy out of jail, everything considered.
Gimme two.
I'd like you to release Adam in my custody.
Ben, you know I can't do that.
Just long enough for the town to cool down.
Them voters would skin me alive.
Jesse we've always been pretty good friends.
I hope we always will be, Ben.
But you won't release Adam? I just can't do it.
Let's take Adam out of here, Pa.
You calm down, young'un.
How about it, Pa? No trouble, Little Joe.
Not now.
Glad you cooled him off, Ben.
Hate for the voters' and taxpayers' property to get all shot up, the way they would've been if he'd hauled iron on me.
I reckon you wanna see the boy.
You boys wait here.
Guess it's safe to leave you two alone.
Sorry about Sue Ellen.
I just don't understand it, Pa.
Why would anybody want to kill her? All the men she knew never meant anything to her.
Adam No, not a thing.
I'm sure they didn't, son.
I think the thing she wanted most was to belong somewhere.
Yeah.
She never loved me, and I knew that.
I think she just liked the idea of being married to a Cartwright.
You know, it's funny, Pa.
I don't think she even knew what love meant.
Guess I was I was kind of trying to show her and sort of trying to make things up to her.
On account of her sister and all that, you know.
Adam, those men that that she was friendly with, who were they? Well, you know, it was John Henry, Leeds, Durkin over at the bank.
Oh, what difference does it all make? They got a witness says he saw me kill her.
Witness? Who? Oh, Dixie.
Dixie? That old drunk? That's right.
Trouble is, a lot of people believe him.
There's even talk about starting to do something about it.
Sorry, Pa, I just got kind of a funny tightness in my throat.
Well, they was coming up the street in a buggy.
I was standing there just as near as I am to you fellows.
Didn't they see you? Well, shucks no.
They didn't have eyes for nobody but each other.
Besides, I was in the shadows.
And then Then he hands her down from the rig like this.
Oh-ho! And mighty slick about it.
Yes, sir.
He said something, I didn't hear that part.
And she says, "No! No, Adam, no!" Just like that.
(onlookers murmuring) And then he says, eh, he says Go on, Dixie, what did he say? He says, uh, "If I don't get you, nobody gets you.
" Then he takes out his gun.
She drawed herself up and she looked him straight in the eye and she says, "Take my life if you must, Adam, but but spare my honor.
" MAN: Why didn't you stop him? Well, 'cause, uh, i-i-it all happened too fast.
And then, well, then he up and shot her.
Shot that pretty young thing in cold blood.
Bang! Bang! What else? She stood there holding herself like this and looking at him sad and mournful-like.
Did she say anything? She says, uh, "I forgive you, Adam.
" "I forgive all my enemies.
" And then, then she fell down.
And she died.
We ought to take that Cartwright out of Jesse Sanders' jail and hang him right now.
(men clamoring) Hello, John.
That your mourning dress, Amelia? I think I'll let you buy me a drink.
Sure.
Joe, another glass.
You surprised to see me like this, John? Seems a funny way to be grieving over Sue Ellen.
Oh, I am grieving, inside.
But life goes on.
Yeah, I know.
A girl has to live.
Don't be unkind, John.
You were never unkind to me.
I was very fond of you.
Very fond.
Cut it out, Amelia.
Look, I bought you a drink, I'll buy you another one, then you better go home.
You are being unkind, John.
That isn't very wise of you.
Now, what do you mean by that? You know Adam Cartwright didn't kill Sue Ellen.
You came in here looking for me, didn't you? To tell me they got the wrong man for your sister's murder.
Maybe you know who did kill her? I've got some good ideas about it.
Maybe you think those ideas are worth something.
(chuckling) I wouldn't laugh, John Henry.
If you ain't the beatin'est woman I ever did see.
Your own sister hardly cold and you out dressed in her own clothes trying to squeeze a little blackmail.
Well, it won't work, Amelia.
I'll tell Jesse Sanders you hated her.
You did, John.
Hated her enough to kill her.
There were some closer to her than me that hated her more.
How ridiculous! You hated her because she was young.
And you're getting older.
Oh, that's right, Amelia.
You still look good in soft lights, but you ain't as young as you used to be.
(mob clamoring) (pounding at door) Crowd's getting kinda het up out there.
Reckon' we'll be looking for a tussle along about sundown.
(knocking at door) BEN: Open up, Jesse! It's Ben Cartwright! (mob clamoring) What'd you bring that trash in here for? BEN: Tell him, Dixie.
Tell him what you told me! I didn't tell him nothing, Sheriff.
Never said a word.
Tell the truth! I told it.
What did he tell you, Ben? He told me there was someone else on the street when Sue Ellen was killed.
Is that right? You tell me the truth, you hear?! Did you see somebody else out there? You ever get a good look at him? No, sir, I-I did not.
Before the Lord, that's the truth, Sheriff.
I never seen him clear enough to know him.
But you did see someone out there and you saw that person shoot at Miss Terry and my son! Tell the truth.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir, what? What Mr.
Cartwright said.
How'd you ever get it out of him, Ben? Shook it out of him.
Now, turn my son loose, Jesse.
I can't do that, Ben.
What do you mean, you can't? He's innocent! You're holding him because of what this drunken liar told you.
You just heard him admit that he lied.
Now, what more do you want? Like to see you get your boy back safe and sound.
Listen.
(mob clamoring, pounding) Tell them, Jesse.
Tell them the truth.
Too late for that.
They're too hot to listen to anybody.
Adam's safer where he is.
Might help, though, if you and your boys step outside and kind of show them voters what kind of trouble they're asking for.
(clamoring) Well, how is it? Not so good.
Lord, I wish you was outta here.
Hmm, so do I.
If it comes to the worst I'm gonna have to kill some of them voters out there just to keep you alive.
Getting harder and harder to get elected each election day without killing voters.
Take this.
If they do bust in here, I don't want it said I left you helpless.
Kind of taking a chance, aren't you, Jesse? What's to stop me from making you open the door, now that I got a gun? Just plain horse sense, if you got any.
See, if a sensible man was figuring to bust out of this here jug, he'd wait till nightfall when things kind of quieted down and there was only one deputy on duty.
Deputies always carry the keys to the cells.
A man ain't gonna argue about opening a jail door when he's got a gun stuck under his nose.
Now, there's only one thing that bothers me, Jesse.
Why are you doing it? Your pa's a friend of mine.
Put that gun under your blanket and don't use it till the time's right.
And what happens after I bust out? You get eight hours head start.
After that, I come after you.
If I catch you, chances are you'll hang.
(clock ticking) * * (hammer cocks) Don't go away.
And don't reach for it-- just turn around nice and easy.
Unlock the door.
Let's have them.
* * Don't try it.
I just busted jail, and I'd as soon kill you as look at you, understand? What do you want? One straight answer.
Did you kill her? (chuckles softly) Who have you been talking to? Amelia Terry? Why her? 'Cause she's got the same kind of crazy idea.
Thought it was good enough to work a little blackmail.
Well, I'm telling you what I told her.
Talk and guessing ain't facts.
I can prove I wasn't nowheres near her when Sue Ellen got killed.
I'm sorry, Henry (gun clicking) but I had to try you.
Cartwright.
I don't like you, but I guess I owe you something for not killing me when you had the chance.
If I was you, I'd talk to Amelia.
I intend to.
'Cause she didn't like Sue Ellen.
Oh, I know she put on like she did, but the truth was, she always hated her.
Maybe enough to kill her.
(music box playing faintly in distance) (door closing) * * Come in.
I've been expecting you.
It was clever of you to come after dark.
I don't look bad, do I? Little slimming here and there, I'll be as good as new.
For a talky man, you're awful quiet.
(laughs) You never did like to part with your money, did you? Real tightwad.
Oh, don't worry about it.
I won't ask for any more.
Not unless I really need it.
Wasn't it lucky for me I thought about you? You know, I al always knew you liked Sue Ellen, but not enough to kill her.
You have to pay for a thing like that, my friend.
(Amelia laughing) And pay and pay (slow footsteps) No.
No.
No! AMELIA (screaming): No! * * What did you do a fool thing like that for, break out of jail? I had to, Pa.
I didn't stand a chance locked up.
And what chance do you stand now? Amelia had some idea about the killer.
She tried to blackmail John Henry.
I know-- he told me.
Told me you were on your way here.
Does anybody else know? No, I don't think so.
I better get you back into that jail.
Jesse's organizing a posse.
He's what? He's organizing a posse.
He's ordering them to bring you in dead or alive.
Come on.
No, wait a minute.
You tell Jesse I'll give myself up if he'll meet me alone.
Alone? Yeah.
Tell him I'll meet him in his room in one hour.
Ben? Why don't you go back to your hotel and get your rest? You're doing no good hanging around here.
I want a word with you, Jesse.
Excuse me, fellas.
Don't you go peeking at my hand.
Playing a little Pedro to pass the time.
Now, then, what can I do for you? I just saw Adam.
It's all right, Jesse.
He's ready to give up.
Where is he? He'll be at your place in an hour.
I see.
Over at my place.
Hey, Jesse, we we've been friends a long time.
Remember that, will you? Don't worry about a thing.
I'll take good care of the boy.
Your pa said I'd find you here.
Guess you're fixing to give yourself up.
How long would I live if I did give myself up, Jesse? Not long.
Shot while trying to escape? Something like that.
You know, it'd been neater if I'd been killed when I busted out of your jail.
That's where you made a mistake, Jesse.
Your first one.
You bustin' jail convinced the voters you was the killer, all right.
What was my second mistake? Gettin' up a posse after you promised me eight clear hours.
Now, it began to look as though you wanted me dead awfully bad.
Don't try, Jesse.
(gun firing) Is it bad? (murmuring, footsteps) It's bad.
Tell me, Jesse, why'd you kill Sue Ellen? I never figured to kill Sue Ellen.
Pretty little thing.
I used to watch her.
Used to see she got home nights.
Used to wait outside her house till the light went on in her room.
One time, she said (music box playing) "Jesse, honey, I want to give you something for being so nice.
" And I said, "That's a pretty hat you got on.
" And she give it to me.
It was just nice having something that was close to her.
Like them lacy shawls she used to wear and a glove.
Everybody else was always fussin' over here, givin' her things.
But not you.
You was young, like her.
I never meant to kill Sue Ellen.
It was you I was gonna k (groans) * * (music box fades out)