"ANNOUNCER:" "The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC." "(fanfare plays)" "(bell clanging)" "(steam whistle blows)" "Hoss, you know, I was just thinking about something." "Uh, there's no reason why we both have to go see Josh Layton's widow." "Now, listen, big shorty, you ain't about to saddle me off to seeing some poor widow woman all by myself." "Me being there's not gonna help her any." "Yeah, but it's gonna help me!" "Now, you're going, and that's it!" "Why?" "!" "Well, because Mr. Layton was one of Pa's best friends, and we're supposed to be here doing everything we can to help." "Besides, Pa..." "Pa told me to keep an eye on you, anyhow." "Pa told you to keep an eye on me?" "What in the heck for?" "To keep you from gettin' chased all the way back to the Ponderosa by some hopping'-mad daddy with a shotgun in his hand." "And from the look in your eye, that's just about what's gonna happen." "Aw, Hoss, come on!" "Joe, you ain't about to take off with that pretty little filly" "I seen you making eyes with down in the lobby a while ago." "You're goin' with me, and that's final!" "Hey, Joe, come back here!" "Joe!" "Joe!" "Ladies, I-ladies, you can't go in right now!" "Oh, la-ladies, you'll..." "I'm sorry, you'll have to wait just a minute." "Now, Hoss, y-you soak yourself real good now till the porter brings you something to wear." "Oh, and-and ladies, ladies," "I want to thank you very much for your patience." "You wait right here, ladies, and he'll be out in a minute." "(bangs on door)" "Joe, I'm gonna whup you, for sure!" "Dad-gummit!" "♪♪" "(woman screaming)" "(theme music plays)" "You get out of here!" "I can't pay any bills!" "Get out and leave me alone!" "Ma'am, I ain't no bill collector." "I-I was sent here to help Mrs. Layton." "Who are you?" "Hoss Cartwright." "Cartwright...!" "(gasps)" "(sobbing)" "Ma'am, ma'am, what's the matter?" "Can I get you anything?" "A glass of water?" "My smelling salts." "They're, they're in there." "(sobbing continues)" "(coughs)" "Ma'am, I-I sure didn't mean to upset you like that." "Oh, forgive me." "It's just that I..." "I was so touched that, that you came all this way for me." "You Mrs. Layton?" "Yes." "I wonder if you have a handkerchief." "Why are you looking at me like that?" "Oh, I, I'm sorry, ma'am." "I didn't mean to stare." "I just had it in my head, I reckon, that you was gonna be a little... different." "Until a minute ago, I..." "I was half dead." "Don't you worry, ma'am." "I'm, I'm here to fix everything up." "Just... no wonder you feeling so poorly." "Empty house like this would give anybody the crawly skin." "I-I had to sell the furniture." "Ma'am, that's, that's water all under the bridge now." "Now you go get yourself dressed." "Dressed?" "Why, sure!" "I ain't gonna eat by myself." "Besides, you-you got to show me where a good place is." "I-I ain't too familiar with Sacramento." "Now, get." "Oh, Mr. Cartwright," "I-I can't tell you how happy you've made me by asking me out to supper this evening." "A pretty gal like you ought not to have to think about nothing but..." "living every minute of every day." "I'm gonna shake up that attorney of yours and see what's hangin' up that will." "Oh, it, it really isn't his fault." "Josh had a lot of bills, and all the creditors have filed against the estate." "That's what's taking so much time." "Mr. Cartwright, would you come in for a moment, please?" "I just can't get the back of this dress hooked by myself." "Would you mind?" "If that... if that lawyer can't do the job, we'll get somebody that can." "How long has it been since I've heard a strong voice like that?" "You Cartwrights are magnificent." "That's the only word for you." "Aw, ma'am, there, there's not anything special about us." "Fact is, we're probably about the orneriest bunch you ever run into." "You can ask anybody in Virginia City about that." "And what would they say?" "Well... well, for one thing, they'd, they'd tell you that Hoss Cartwright was about the meanest and hungriest man this side of St. Jo, and he got meaner the hungrier he got." "Why, Mr. Cartwright, whatever's the matter?" "I-I don't know, ma'am." "Maybe it's the... the perfume?" "Oh!" "I was in hopes you'd like it!" "Oh, I do!" "What I meant to say was, well..." "Oh, there, it's all done." "That wasn't so hard now, was it?" "No, ma'am." "You poor man." "You must be starved." "Why don't we go get some supper?" " Good evening, Mrs. Layton!" " (elegant music plays)" "It is so pleasant to see you again." "Thank you." "It's good to be able to be out among people again." "Your favorite table in the game room?" "The new roulette wheel has arrived." "Oh, really?" "I must see it." "Ma'am, you feelin' poorly again?" "Oh, no, no, I'm fine." " Jean..." " (mutters)" "It was, uh, sweet of you to remember the table I had the last time I was here, but I wonder if we couldn't have something a little more private." "Of course, Madam." "Right here." "Our very best vintage--1854." "This champagne was brought all the way from France, sir." "I'm sure you will find it to your accustomed taste." "Mrs. Layton can vouch for the year." "It's excellent." "Anything you say." "What's the matter?" "Oh, nothing." "I..." "Ma'am, I'm, I'm just a cowboy." "I..." "I don't reckon I fit in in a place like this very good." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I..." "I didn't mean to make you unhappy." "Oh, no, ma'am, you-you didn't." "It'd take some doing to make a man unhappy when he's, when he's with you." "(cork pops)" "(hushed):" "See if you like it." "Oh!" "It's real good." "Ma'am, here's to a, to a whole lot more happiness than you've known the last couple of months, ma'am." "Thank you, Mr. Cartwright." "I..." "I know I'll have it now." "(music fades)" "Dang if I don't think that-that vinegar's gonna make me sneeze." "It does tickle your nose, doesn't it?" "You think you can go on avoiding me?" "I came by to see you this afternoon." "I was busy, Mr. Hammond." "I'll bet you were!" "But I won't stand for any more of it!" "I want that ring back!" "MRS. LAYTON:" "Let go of me!" "Not till I get the ring!" "That's just about it, buster!" "Now you done it!" "(woman gasps)" "We'll take care of him!" "(elegant waltz playing)" "I don't know what's the matter with that man." "Ma'am, you... you're a lady, and a lady ain't got to explain no mean-mouth drunk." "No, he was a friend of my husband's." "Ever since Josh died, he's given me trouble." "He actually has some ridiculous idea that... that this ring Josh left me belongs to him." "Ma'am... don't you pay no mind to that." "Mr. Cartwright, please take me home." "Everybody's staring at us." "Yes'm." "(bell dings in distance)" "I guess I really messed things up for you, didn't I?" "Oh, it wasn't your fault." "He hit you first." "Yeah." "Didn't hurt none." "I ain't got the manners of a dang goat." "Mr. Cartwright, we're going to sit down and enjoy yourselves." "And don't you worry any about your manners." "You stood up for me-- for my honor." "You have no idea how that makes me feel inside-- to know that someone cares." "Why, you're not only a gentleman, Mr. Cartwright;" "you're... you're wonderful." "Now, let's sit down." "(Hoss grunts)" "I had no i-idea how late it was, ma'am." "All that good food and champagne." "I..." "I reckon I ought to apologize to you for keeping you out so late." "Please don't, Mr. Cartwright." "Can't we just... just sit out here for a minute longer?" "Yes'm, if... if you like." "Do you think I... do you think I was wrong?" "About what, ma'am?" "Because I..." "I was so happy with you tonight." "Because for a moment, I..." "I was able to forget." "Well, am I supposed to shrivel up and die just because my husband is dead?" "No, ma'am." "No, I..." "I don't think that'd be his wish at all." "Oh, Mr. Cartwright, I..." "I just can't go back into that empty house." "It's like a tomb." "And I'm still alive." "I can't go back." "I..." "I can't go back!" "(sobbing)" "Ma'am... if you could... if you could just manage it one more night, I... well, what I mean to say is," "I'll figure out some way to get you out of there." "Well, what could you do?" "Well, I'll think of something-- I promise." "(sighs)" "HOSS: ♪ Jimmy crack corn, and I don't care ♪" "♪ Jimmy crack corn, and I don't care ♪" "♪ The boss man's gone away ♪" "♪ Doodly, doody... ♪" "♪ Doodly, doo... ♪" "You have a good time tonight, Joe?" "Huh?" "(takes deep breath)" "That you, Hoss?" "Yeah, I ask you, you have a good time tonight?" "No." "No, I came right back after I left." "Been a lot better off if I'd have... gone to see that old widow woman with you." "Yeah." "Don't make no difference." "I didn't need you at all." "You feeling all right?" "Yeah, I..." "I ain't never felt better." "Well, you're..." "you're talking kind of funny." "What'd you do tonight?" "I went to supper with Mrs. Layton." "Yeah, what's she like?" "Nothing like we thought." "Oh, even worse, huh?" "No, no." "No." "She's... just different." "You been drinking?" "Yeah, a... a little champagne." "Champagne!" "1854 was a good year." "1854 was a good year for what?" "Hey, Joe, you... you ain't gonna sleep in your boots, are you?" "(Little Joe mutters)" "What's the matter...?" "You didn't have no fun?" "Oh, yeah, I had a great time." "Until that gal I met disappeared and took my money pouch with her." "Sorry to hear that." "You're sorry to hear that?" "How come you're being so doggone charitable?" "I-I figured you'd pound me when you got back here." "Pound you?" "Why... why would I want to pound you for?" "I ain't mad at you." "The lady, Joe..." "she's a real lady." "Joe, I know what we're going to do." "I done made up my mind." "We're going to take Mrs. Layton back to the Ponderosa with us." "Oh, now, Hoss, come on." "Look, I know how softhearted you are, but Pa sent us here to help her, not-not to adopt her and bring her back home with us." "Joe, I..." "I can't just leave her here." "Yeah, well, you can't take her with us." "Look, you got to think about it." "We got a long trip ahead of us." "We got... we got two days by stagecoach just to get to Summit." "Then we take the buckboard." "It's another day through the pass." "Now, what kind of a trip is that for an old lady to make?" "Sort of think maybe she'll be able to stand up under it." "Yeah, well, I don't think so." "I think it's one of the nuttiest ideas I ever heard of." "Well, don't make any decisions till after you've met her." "We're gonna... we're gonna have lunch together tomorrow at noon." "I done made reservations with the garçon." "All right, where is she?" "Oh, she'll be here after while." "She's probably out shopping or something." "Pretty fancy chuckwagon, ain't it?" "Yeah, it's not bad." "LITTLE JOE:" "Not bad at all." "What's the matter, Joe?" "Take a look at the girl over by the door." "Women like that just don't run around loose." "Hey, Hoss, loan me 20 bucks, will you?" "Hey, second thought, better make it 50." "Huh?" "Well, look, I-I can't impress her if I'm broke." "Come on." "Hey, look, she's smiling at me." "Give me the money." "(whispers):" "There..." " HOSS:" "Hi." " MRS. LAYTON:" "Hello." "HOSS:" "Joe... before you... before you run off with that other gal," "I..." "I'd like for you to meet Mrs. Layton." "Ma'am, this is Joe Cartwright." "How do you do?" "It's very nice meeting you, ma'am." "DRIVER:" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Well... don't reckon she's ever seen any country like this before." "I guess not." "Otherwise, she wouldn't have brought all this stuff along." "Well, for somebody on the verge of poverty, she sure had a lot of clothes." "Not to mention all those rings on her fingers." "Well... a lady's got to have clothes, Joe." "Besides, you wouldn't, uh..." "you wouldn't expect her to sell the stuff her husband gave her, would you?" "Well, if I was hungry, I'd sell them." "MRS. LAYTON:" "Oh, Mr. Cartwright?" "Is it all right if I walk up and take a look at the lake?" "Oh, sure, ma'am, but be kind of careful." "Those... those trails can get tricky at night." "Don't you worry." "I'll be careful." "Well, it's my turn to fix chow tonight." "Why don't you, uh..." "come take a look at the lake?" "Supper's going to be ready in a minute, Mrs. Layton." "(sighs)" "Does the Ponderosa look like this?" "Well, ma'am, this..." "this is the Ponderosa." " It is?" " Sure." "We... we've been riding through it for the last couple of days-- ever since we left the stagecoach." "Oh!" "Why, it's unbelievable that... that anybody could actually own all this." "Well, ma'am, it... it ain't exactly owning." "I reckon the Ponderosa holds about as much claim to us as we do her." "It's more like a partnership." "Like we're all sort of beholden to one another." "What I mean to say is that..." "Pa won't let us cut a tree down unless there's another tree growing to take its place or take a cup of water out of the lake if... if it makes the lake go down that much." "Ponderosa's got a..." "got a mighty lot to give." "Like Pa says, we ain't... take one ounce out of her that she can't grow back." "All my life, I..." "I never had enough of anything." "My father was a drunkard, and we were trash poor." "When I married Josh, I thought that was all over with." "Now I... right back where I started." "Maybe I..." "I don't really understand what it means to have enough." "But I do know one thing." "What's that, ma'am?" "If anybody could have enough, it... it would be the Cartwrights." "Well, you're... you're kings, and the..." "the Ponderosa's your empire." "What chance has a... a commoner..." "to become a Cartwright?" "It... might not be as hard as you think to... become a Cartwright." "Even for... somebody like me?" "Especially for somebody like you." "Well, why haven't you kissed me?" "Ma'am, I... reckon I... figured if I ever put my arms around you, you'd... you'd break up like... like one of them little..." "China dolls." "Well, let's just try and see if I do." "Hey, Joe!" "Joe!" "Joe!" "Come here!" "Hoss, what's the matter?" "Joe, me and Helen, we're gonna get married." "She's gonna marry me!" "Me, Hoss Cartwright!" "You're-- you're joking." "No, I ain't." "We're gonna get married." "Oh!" "Congratulations!" "Hey, congratulations, both of you." "Geez, I can't wait to see the look on Pa's face." "HOSS:" "Ain't it wonderful, Pa?" "Well, yes, yes." "It's, uh... uh..." "Well, tell me-- tell me about it." "It all... it's so-so sudden." "Hoss, I'd like to speak to your father alone for a moment." "Come on, Hoss, let 'em get acquainted." "I'll get your stuff." "(door closes)" "You don't approve of this, do you, Mr. Cartwright?" "Now, Mrs. Layton, I haven't said anything." "I'd been led to believe that you'd be quite a different sort of man." "I..." "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." "What do you want me to do?" "Pretend that I'm mourning over the death of my husband?" "Mrs. Layton, I wouldn't want you to pretend anything." "I just assumed that..." "And I assumed that you and I could be honest with each other." "Honest?" "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." "I'm talking about what you and I both know." "About what Adam told you when he returned from the funeral." "Adam told me about Josh's death... nothing more." "You mean he-- he didn't tell you the circumstances?" "What circumstances?" "Is there something more that he should have told me?" "Oh, of course." "Adam would want to spare your feelings." "Oh, Mr. Cartwright." "I've been very rude." "Mrs. Layton, tell me what it is you think I should know." "When Josh died, he... he wasn't the man you knew or the man I married." "There's no other way to say it." "Josh was a drunk." "He drank himself to death." "I find that almost impossible to believe." "So did I." "Until the debts started piling up." "Till they started selling the furniture out from under us." "Till I-I realized I was married to a madman." "Adam should have told me." "Now, you realize why these past few months of mourning have been a mockery." "Living alone in that empty mansion." "Keeping myself locked off from the world." "And then Hoss came along." "He was so sweet... so understanding." "For the first time in months, I..." "I felt like a woman again." "I fell in love with him, Mr. Cartwright." "I couldn't help myself." "I wanted to be with him, I..." "I wanted to make him as happy as he had made me." "And... well, that's all over now." "Now, Mrs. Lay..." "Helen, I..." "Uh, you misunderstood." "I..." "Yes, I-I had reservations." "I-I didn't know..." "All I want for Hoss... is the happiness that you want for him." "You don't hate me?" "Hate you?" "When I've been waiting all these years for a daughter-in-law?" " (sighs) - (door opening)" "Pa, I didn't know you was going to get this acquainted." "(Ben chuckles)" "Well, after all, Hoss, you know the way Pa is with the ladies." " Ah!" " I guess this means you're going to give us your blessing, Pa." "Hoss, when Adam gets back we're going to put on the biggest wedding Nevada's ever seen." "DRIVER:" "Hyah!" "Helen, this-this is a pretty tough place." "I don't know whether you ought to go in here or not." "Oh, what could happen to me?" "I'm with you, aren't I?" "Besides, it's so hot out there." "I'm just dying for a cold lemonade." "All right." "King, ten, eight." "King high." "Bet." "Is this a gambling place?" "Yeah, sure it is." "This..." "They run one of the biggest poker games in the whole Comstock in here." "Really?" "How exciting." "And what's this?" "This is one of them newfangled contraptions you play with silver money." "It's just like gambling, only you play with a machine, instead of a dealer." "Do you think I could play it?" "Well, sure you can." "Wait..." "Be careful your fingers don't stick to that crank, though." "Some folks just can't turn it loose." "(laughs) Oh, that's hard to believe, isn't it?" "I wonder what they'll think of next." " (gasps)" " Hey, you won first time!" "Oh, Hoss, I--I really won!" "How exciting." "Oh, I wonder if I could have that lemonade now." "Yeah, I'll get it." "Howdy, Hoss." "What'll it be?" "Uh... give me a--give me a couple lemonades, Charlie." "Lemonade?" "Did you say "lemonade"?" "(slot machine clanking)" "One for the... one for the little lady over there and one for me." "The little lady seems to have changed you already." "Ain't she cute?" "Don't reckon she ever seen one of them before." "Wish I'd never seen it." "Took $20 off me last week." "Oh, Hoss darling, I'm having so much fun." "I wonder if you could give me a little more money." "Honey, you just won over there." "You already spent that?" "Oh, but I just know I'm going to make it pay off again." "I just know it." " There." " Oh, thank you, darling." "(slot machine clanking)" "Two lemonades, Hoss." "On the house." "Thank you, Charlie." "Sort of a hungry beggar, ain't it?" "Oh, darn." "I was so sure I was going to win again." "I don't guess Charlie's had much experience making lemonade." "Hoss, is-is there something you could do alone for about an hour or so?" "Yeah." "I got to talk to a couple of people about the wedding arrangements." "But what are you going to be doing?" "Oh, silly--I'm going to finish my shopping." "Well, I'll go with you and talk to them later." "Well, Hoss, you know, there are, uh... some stores where ladies shop alone." "Yeah, I..." "I don't reckon I thought about that." "You go ahead." "All right, darling." "Oh, Hoss, I..." "I hate to be asking you for money, but..." "Oh, I should have done this when we started." "How much you need?" "Well, it's hard to tell." "I..." "Well, here, you..." "You just take it all." "There's $300 there." "Get what you need, and if that ain't enough there's more where that come from." "Oh, thanks, darling." "Where will we meet?" "Uh, how about the mercantile store down on the corner?" "Oh, that'll be wonderful." "Now you take these packages and put them in the buggy and, um, I'll meet you in the mercantile in about an hour." "Fine." "Ace... six..." "Jack... four." "You're high, ace." "Bet." "Cost you $100 to stay, ma'am." "I'll see that and raise you 100." "I'm afraid you don't have quite enough money there, ma'am." "But I think the credit of the future Mrs. Cartwright is good enough for us." "Thank you." "Hey, hey, Adam!" "Hey, Pa, Adam's coming." "Well... nice of you to decorate the place to celebrate my return from San Francisco." "Welcome home, Adam." "Good to see you, son." "Nice to have you back." "I got the message from the telegraph office that we'd won the case." "I didn't think you'd be back so soon, but I'm certainly glad you got here when you did." "Well, I had my fill of the big city, Pa." "Ah, what do you think of the decorations, Adam?" "What's the occasion?" "Just because we won the case?" "Well, that's not exactly it." "You see..." "Yeah, well, if I let Little Joe tell you he'll string you out all night." "Hoss is getting married." " What?" "Yeah." " (laughing)" "Yeah, wait till you see her, Adam." " She'll fry your eyeballs." " See, she's a beauty." "And I'll tell him all about her." "Just get Adam's horse back to the stable" " and have him watered down." " Yeah, well I-I just..." "Come on now." "Come on, do as I tell you." "Hey, well, hey, tell him about that thing in the restaurant." "As a matter of fact, I think you know the girl." " I do?" " Mm-hmm." "Don't tell me that girl over in Mormon's Crossing finally got to him with those gooseberry pies." "No, no." "No, it..." "it's Helen Layton." "Josh Layton's widow?" "Yeah." "Quite a surprise, huh?" "It's more than that." "I know how you feel." "A little unusual, so soon after her husband's death." "As a matter of fact, I felt the same way about it until I..." "I talked to Helen and she told me the truth about Josh." "What'd she tell you?" "Well, what's the point of talking about it?" "They're genuinely in love with each other." "Pa... she never loved anything in her life except a deck of cards." "What are you talking about?" "ADAM:" "She gambled away every penny Josh Layton had." "She dropped $27,000 in one night in a club in Sacramento City, and that's what started him drinking." "Well, she told me..." "Why didn't you tell me this before?" "Last time I saw Josh, he was dying." "Now, what good would it have done to tell you about it?" "He wasn't even cold in his grave, and she had found herself another man to buy her expensive jewelry and dresses and pay her gambling debts." "Adam, are... are you positive?" "I am." "Gonna have to tell Hoss." "What's this going to do to him?" "ADAM:" "I don't know." "Well, at least he won't marry her." "(Hoss laughing)" "Better let me handle this." "HOSS:" "Hey, Adam, you old hornswoggler." "Whoa." "Hey!" " Pa tell you the good news?" " Yeah." "Yeah." "Come on over here and say hello." "Hello." "Helen, your beauty always leaves me breathless." "Still the same old flatterer." "It's good to see you again, Adam." "Were you surprised?" "Oh, yes, I was surprised." "Well, listen, let's get this buggy unloaded." "We can visit the rest of our lives." "(grunts)" "BEN:" "Uh, Hoss... why don't you let Adam put the buggy away?" "Uh, I'd like to talk to you about something." "HOSS:" "Sure, Pa." "What is it?" "HELEN:" "Oh, Hoss, can't you see your father wants to talk to you alone?" "Yeah, but right now, Pa?" "If you don't mind, son." "Good for you, Mr. Cartwright." "You just keep him busy while I go in and change." "Hyah!" "What's the matter, Pa?" "Adam bring home some bad news or something?" "Well... in a way." "Well, what is it?" "It concerns Helen." "All right." "Anything that concerns Helen concerns me." "I want to hear it." "It's not going to be pleasant." "What is it?" "Hoss... you don't know Helen very well." "Go on and say it, Pa." "And when you're done, I..." "I want you and Adam and Joe to keep still about Helen from now on out." "All right." "This is the news Adam brought back:" "Helen is..." "Helen is a gambler, a compulsive gambler." "Before Josh died, she gambled away every penny he had." "That ain't true." "Yes, it is." "There's more." "Josh Layton was hardly resting in his grave when she began running around with another man to get more money to gamble with." "Pa, you said just about enough." "I'm not finished." "Hoss... you can't think of getting married." "She'll ruin your life." "She's no good!" "Pa, don't you talk like that." "I ain't going to listen to them lies." "Adam was there, Hoss." "He saw Josh Layton drink himself to death over her!" "Where are you going?" "I'm gonna go ahead and talk to Helen." "I'm gonna tell her what Adam's saying behind her back." "Adam is telling the truth!" "It ain't." "It's a lie." "It's a dirty lie!" "And I'm gonna make Adam eat every filthy word." "Helen's got an explanation for this, and I'm gonna get it!" "HELEN:" "Who is it?" "It's me, Hoss." "Just a minute, darling." "Come in." "I just couldn't resist putting it on." "This is what I wanted to buy when I sent you away." "Oh, Hoss, you..." "you don't like it." "Yes, I do." "It's... it's the prettiest thing I ever saw." "Helen, I..." "I got to talk to you about something." "Oh, darling, it's, it's so wonderful to have someone to talk to." "But I'm afraid I-I don't feel much like talking right now." "Not with your arms around me and... and this dress on." "It's been so long since I've been happy like this." "If you only knew how miserable those last months with Josh were." "How he twisted the truth until... till even my closest friends were telling horrible lies about me." "Then you came along and there were no more yesterdays, only tomorrows." "But people will still talk, I suppose." "They just have to be cruel and, and twist everything into a black, awful lie." "Yeah, I suppose they do." "You wouldn't believe them, would you, Hoss?" "You won't believe what they tell you about me?" "No." "Besides, it... it don't make no difference even if it were true." "It just wouldn't matter." "What's done is done." "And I don't want you worrying about it no more, do you hear?" "You're the kindest, most understanding man that ever lived!" "Oh, Hoss, what was it your father wanted to talk to you about?" "It was nothing." "Just forget it." "(footsteps on stairs)" "Well, son?" "I know that you and Adam mean well." "I'm sorry I lost my temper." "I didn't mean to call Adam a liar." "As far as I know, maybe a part of what he says is true." "As far as I'm concerned..." "Helen's and my life started the day we met." "I ain't interested in her past." "And I don't want to hear no more about it." "(door opens, shuts)" "What's at stake is your brother's happiness." "Pa, don't you think I've considered that?" "Look, I told you what kind of a woman she is." "You told me what kind of woman she was." "There could be a difference." "Maybe Hoss is right." "People can change." "Hey, Pa!" "Yes, Joe?" "Frank's here to see you." "Well, Frank, a little out of your way, aren't you?" "Mr. Cartwright, Adam." "Frank, now don't tell me one of my boys has gambled away the Ponderosa." "(Little Joe laughs)" "Not one of your boys, Ben." "Ben, I'm a businessman, same as anyone else." "I took that in good faith, figuring you'd honor it." "Well, that kind of proves what I said, doesn't it?" "I wish she hadn't lost that much." "The way things are, I can't just forget about $5,000." "Oh." "I'm..." "I'm sorry it happened, Ben." "And, uh, I don't discuss my customers' private affairs." "That's why I came out here." "Thanks, Frank." "Thank you very much." "You want to count it?" "I don't have to count it, Ben." "(door opens, shuts)" "Well, I guess this IOU ought to show Hoss the truth." "Not a word of what you've seen here." "Either one of you." "(door opens)" "He shouldn't have torn it up." "(door shuts)" "(sighs)" "Well, he was only thinking about Hoss." "Well, that's all any of us are thinking about." "We have to do something about this." "We'll put a stop to it." "Hoss'll get hurt, but I'd rather see that than Pa trying to pick up the pieces the rest of his life." "You're right." "Now what do we do about it?" "Where are we going?" "Virginia City." "Virginia City?" "Whatever for?" "I heard about your little experience at the Sazarac yesterday afternoon." "Oh, yeah, you mean those silly coin machines." "Wasn't that awful?" "No, I mean the IOU for $5,000." "The, uh, dealer presented it last night for payment." "What are you talking about?" "You know what I'm talking about." "Pa paid it off in full." "And now you're going to ship me out of the country to protect your little brother, is that it?" "No, that's not it." "Hoss doesn't know a thing about it." "Then what are you up to?" "I'm gonna take you back to the Sazarac." "I'm gonna give you a chance to win back that $5,000." "You mean you..." "that you'll stake me?" "I'll stake you." "Adam Cartwright, I like your way of thinking." "That's five, ten, pair of deuces and a ten." "Make your bet." "Your hundred and a hundred more." "King's up." "Good enough." "Deuces are high." "Make your bet." "Jack." "Deuces are high." "Make your bet." "I'll see you that hundred and a hundred more." "A pair of aces." "Doggone it, Joe, you better have a good reason for bringing me all the way into here." "FRANK:" "Mrs. Layton, it'll cost you a hundred more to see if you can improve 'em." "Cards, Mrs. Layton?" "I'll stand pat on these." "Can they beat a flush, ma'am?" "How much she lose, Adam?" "Well, let's see." "Five... ten... 15... $20,000." "Don't worry, Hoss." "They're good." "I signed for every one of 'em." "(sighs) I'm sorry." "Hoss, we did it for you!" "I..." "If there's one thing that offends me it's any display of violence." "Oddly enough, I was thinking that very same thing." "I wonder if it would be asking too much to... to ask you to take me out of here." "MAN:" "Dear lady, nothing would please me more." "We, uh, might even have dinner together." "Dinner?" "Oh, that would be wonderful." "I can't think of anything I'd enjoy more." "Pa, you think Joe and I enjoyed doing it?" "There was no other way." "Oh, I..." "I know you meant well." "Maybe there was no other way, but... well, Hoss is the only one who can decide that." "(door closes, footsteps approach)" "You fellers gonna just sit here and mope all day, or are you gonna go out and go to work with me?" "(Ben chuckles)" "ANNOUNCER:" "This has been a color presentation of the NBC Television Network."