"(horses approaching)" "Go in the house, Mary." "Stay where you are." "You have been served with a notice of eviction." "Why are you still here?" "This is our house, mister." "We've got no other place to go." "That is yourconcern, not ours." "You can't go in there!" "Leave her alone!" "(screams)" "Sounded like it come from the south, Pa." "The Logan place." "(sobbing)" "Put up the sign." "You'll be off this land by nightfall, señora." "(sobbing)" "(theme song playing)" "(horse neighs)" "Is he badly hurt?" "He's dead." "They killed him." "Mary, what happened?" "What... what was the fight about?" "They said we were trespassing." "They said..." ""Señora... be off this land by nightfall."" ""Señora."" "Sounds like Don Antonio." "Let's go." "Stay where you are, Little Joe." "Mary, the law's on their side." "Andy and me, we homesteaded this place." "Five years he sweated in these fields." "Now we got a family coming-- I'm not going." "Mary..." "We'll be back." "I promise." "Give me a hand, boys." "You boys stay here." "Ben, Adam." "I've come to report a killing." "Andy Logan has been shot down in cold blood." "As a matter of accuracy, he was killed in self-defense." "Sheriff Hawkins has all the facts." "That's right, Ben, Señor Luga has already made a complete report on behalf of his men." "Well, did he report that it was his men who committed the murder?" "HAWKINS:" "There's a difference, Ben." "Logan was given a notice of eviction, so he had no legal right to be on that land." "And a couple of witnesses saw him attack Señor Luga's man." "All he was doing was defending what was his." "There's no evidence of that." "Well, there's Mrs. Logan's word!" "You think that'll stand up in court, Adam?" "Stand up in court?" "They talk of lawlessness of the West." "Well, this is lawlessness backed up by law." "They're evicting families, throwing them out of their homes, killing men, and you protect them!" "HAWKINS:" "Now, keep your shirt on, Ben." "I don't like this any better than you do." "This is not really your fight, Señor Cartwright." "Why do you insist on interfering?" "Interfering?" "!" "Of course it's our fight." "You're trying to take part of our land, too." "Technically speaking, yes." "But although the De La Cuesta land grant takes in a few hundred acres of Ponderosa property, it is such a, well, such a small section of your great ranch-- you will hardly miss it." "We happen to value every foot of our property, Señor Luga." "Your pardon, señor." "It is the property of my niece." "Perhaps she will be gracious enough to permit you to retain it, if your attitude is cooperative." "Well, you know what you can tell your niece." "Some respect, sir-- you are talking about" "Isabella Maria Ynez y Castro De La Cuesta, descendant of one of the oldest and noblest families in Spain." "(laughs)" "Sanchez, you are becoming quite amorous." "For the noble Isabella De La Cuesta, why not?" "Why don't you knock?" "Since when do you require privacy?" "One man meeting another in your presence-- it's a common thing." "Get out." "My respects, dear lady." "Sanchez... the darling of the barroom girls." "And now he has you." "Please do not give me one of your lectures." "I am tired of being cooped up in this hotel room." "But this room is much better than you're used to, my dear." "These fine things, these flowers." "For entertaining someone like Sanchez, I don't need them." "I am Isabella De La Cuesta." "Is that not right?" "Yes, that is right." "Then I refuse to remain a minute longer in this carpeted prison!" "Just a few more days." "Everything is going beautifully-- don't spoil it." "How could I spoil it?" "Everybody's expecting Isabella De La Cuesta to be a great lady." "And whatever you are, my dear... well, you know your weakness." "When the time comes" "I will be as much a lady as anyone." "I've spent years of my life on this project, tracing the land grant and then tracing you." "I won't let you destroy it now, you understand?" "Pa, you mean this Luga can just come in and throw homesteaders off their land and there's nothing we can do about it?" "Well, the Spanish land grants go back hundreds of years." "Mexico recognizes them, we recognize them, and the De La Cuesta claim has been examined and validated by the Territorial Land Office." "Apparently, it's in perfect order." "Yeah, well, suppose it wasn't all in perfect order." "Well... well, we could go to court and try to stop them." "The, uh, records of the Spanish land grants are kept in Monterey, aren't they?" "LITTLE JOE:" "Mm-hmm." "ADAM:" "That's right." "It may be worth looking into." "Pa, would you like for us to ride down there and check on it?" "Yeah." "Yeah, you and Joe, first thing in the morning." "Check everything on file." "Get a complete history of the De La Cuesta family." "Meanwhile, Adam and I will file an action in Judge Blankney's court, in the name of the Carson Valley settlers and ourselves." "Well, what chance do you think we stand there?" "(chuckles):" "Well... very little, I suppose, if Isabella De La Cuesta is actually the true and rightful heiress." "Well, there's still one more thing we could do." "What's that?" "Talk to the great lady herself." "After all, no one's seen her or talked to her except Señor Luga." "What good will that do?" "You don't think she's gonna help us." "Well, how do we know till we find out?" "Well, here's hoping we can prove that Isabella De La Cuesta is not Isabella De La Cuesta." "All right, Bill, where did you put her?" "What are you talking about, Adam?" "The great lady." "Señorita De La Cuesta, or whatever she calls herself." "What room's she in?" "I can't tell you that, Adam." "I've got orders." "You've also got friends." "Room 33." "Thanks." "(guitar playing lively Spanish music in distance)" "(guitar continues playing)" "*" "*" "*" "*" "(music ends, applause)" "Very, very, very nice, Rosita." "How about a drink?" "You must be mistaken." "The name is not Rosita." "No?" "What is it, then?" "Go away from me." "Look, Rosita, you wouldn't happen to be that woman that everybody in town is talking about, would you?" "The one that's claiming all that land?" "Let go of me!" "Come on, just a couple of hundred." "Nobody has to know the name is Rosita." "You are wasting your time-- the name is Isabella De La Cuesta!" "Go away!" "You don't get off that easy." "All right, let her go." "Well, now, you just get out of here, mister." "This is none of your business." "Well, now, I'm making it my business." "Well, you make tracks or I'll cut you." "Now, you can leave now." "Exciting place." "Is he hurt?" "No." "He'll get over it." "I appreciate your fighting for me." "It was not your fight." "Oh, but you are my fight, Señorita De La Cuesta." "Oh." "Why?" "Who are you?" "My name's Cartwright." "Adam Cartwright." "Oh, yes." "I've heard my uncle talk about you." "It seems you are giving him some trouble." "Oh, I hope to give him a lot of trouble." "Then why did you help me?" "Well, a gentleman always helps a lady." "Hmm." "At least you consider me a lady." "And a very beautiful one." "Well, in that case... perhaps you would walk me back to my hotel." "It'll be a pleasure." "I believe the lady is in room 33." "I have the key." "(knocking on door)" "Come in." "Your lady is full of surprises." "Well, at least I know she is not with you, huh?" "Sí, but she is not alone." "The one they call Adam Cartwright, he is with her." "What?" "You want me to, uh...?" "No, no, no, no." "What would we gain?" "Well, she could be telling him certain things, hmm?" "Is that what worries you, Sanchez?" "Or are you maybe a little jealous, huh?" "Don Antonio, I work for you, but if you make fun of me, I'll kill you." "Oh." "Kill for her?" "Don't be a fool." "No." "Just keep an eye on her and let me know when this young Cartwright leaves." "Then I will have a talk with our little lady." "I am glad that you like the wine of my native country." "Let me refresh your glass." "Oh, I like your wine very much." "Uh, Señorita De La Cuesta..." "Now begins the inquisition?" "Call it that if you like." "No, I don't like." "I think it's a very ugly word." "Ugly?" "Then what do you call throwing people off their land?" "Is it their land or mine?" "It's theirs by the work and sweat they put into it." "And do you hold your land by sweat or by a deed of trust?" "By both." "Tell me, señorita, when did you first discover you were the heiress to the De La Cuesta grant?" "When my uncle, Don Antonio, found me and told me." "And where did he find you?" "I only ask because I found you in a cantina, and believe me, no Spanish lady ever behaved the way you did." "You were of service to me in the cantina, Mr. Cartwright." "But that does not give you the right to pry into my private affairs." "You know, we could be friends." "Could we?" "Mm-hmm." "No." "When a man kisses me, he has to have his mind on love, not on business." "Adios." "Hasta luego, señorita." "(knocking continues)" "At least you have learned to knock." "Of course." "You've, uh, had a visitor?" "That is my business." "Young Cartwright-- where did you meet him?" "That is also my business." "It's mine, also." "The Cartwrights are our main opposition." "They will do everything they can to stop us." "Supposing we had the Cartwrights on our side?" "Impossible." "Supposing we had one of the Cartwrights on our side." "Isabella, you've learned to handle men to perfection." "Thank you." "But then, of course, I didn't have much choice." "Adam, well-bred Spanish ladies don't usually spend their time in a saloon." "I know, I thought the same thing myself." "I, uh, went back to the hotel with her and had a glass of wine." "Oh, good, good, good." "Did you find out anything?" "Well, one thing-- she's quite a beautiful woman." "Well, we knew that." "What else?" "She's very sensitive about her past." "Uh-huh?" "Won't talk about it at all." "Adam, you may be heading in the right direction." "Maybe so, but I don't know how happy I am about it." "Why not?" "It was your idea." "I guess it was, but she is not exactly the kind of woman I thought she'd be." "Adam, this is the woman who's trying to grab all that land." "Is she?" "Or is it Señor Luga?" "Well, what's the difference?" "They're both in it together." "Why are you defending her?" "Look, I'm not defending her." "I'd just like to know more about her." "Anything wrong, señorita?" "I'm tired." "I've had enough of riding." "I don't like it." "Why, I thought all Spanish ladies knew how to ride." "Well, I am out of practice." "Please let us rest a while." "Why did you bring me out today?" "Just to find out if I could ride?" "Well, there's, um... there's something about you, Isabella." "Is there?" "What is it?" "Well, it isn't nobility, I'll tell you that." "Then what is it?" "It's..." "Adam, why do we have to be on different sides?" "Maybe we don't." "Come on." "There's something I want to show you." "But I'm very happy here." "It's very important." "All right." "What is this place?" "It's part of your holdings." "I think you ought to get to know it." "Is this the time?" "Well, why not?" "You not only have land." "You have buildings, too, see?" "A man and woman used to live here." "I understand a child was on the way." "So?" "They will live somewhere else." "The woman and the child, maybe." "The man's dead." "As a matter of fact, he died exactly where you're standing now." "He was murdered by Sanchez." "They never told me." "He won't be the last to die, either." "They're trying to evict settlers all over the valley." "There will be lots of fighting and lots of widows." "Then let them not fight." "Only you can stop it." "Oh, no, Adam." "You cannot blame that on me." "I do not want people to get hurt, and I do not want them to get killed." "But I have to think of myself, too." "They cannot have what is mine." "Well, you know you'll never enjoy this land." "There will be too much blood on it." "(gunfire, woman screaming)" "(horse neighing, woman screams)" "So, Don Antonio, the southern section is all cleared of settlers." "Good, good." "Now you can start on the north section." "(knocking on door)" "Yes?" "Who are you?" "The name is Smith." "High Card Smith." "Yes?" "I'm an old friend of Rosita's." "Show the gentleman in, Sanchez." "Come in." "Now, what is this about Rosita?" "I used to know Rosita in San Francisco." "I-I figured you wouldn't want the news to get around." "But we have nothing to hide." "Well, that might not go so well in court, señor." "After all, people are liable to get all mixed up between Rosita Morales and, uh..." "Isabella De La Cuesta?" "I see, I see." "You want to avoid confusion, hmm?" "That's a very good way of putting it." "Clarity is a laudable aim." "You're a very generous man." "Eh, very generous, indeed, sir." "You know, I want to tell you something." "Just as long as you keep scratching my back," "I'll keep scratching yours." "Thank you, señor." "Gracias." "De nada." "Adios." "He'll be back, señor." "Yes, I know, I know." "Unless something happens to him first, eh?" "You expecting trouble, Mr. Cartwright?" "No, not really, Hop Sing." "What are you doing, Pa?" "I'm getting ready, just in case." "I thought we decided there wouldn't be any fighting." "Well, if the settlers decide to fight against their evictions," "I'm not going to stand by and watch 'em get shot at." "Did you talk to 'em?" "I talked to 'em." "But I don't think they'll stand for much more pushing around." "And neither will I." "Well, now, there's just the chance that there may not have to be any pushing around." "Why?" "Well, I went riding with our Señorita De La Cuesta this afternoon." "Uh-huh?" "What happened?" "I took her out to the Logan place." "Did she like it?" "I told her what Señor Luga's men had done." "I think she was honestly upset about what happened out there." "Oh." "It's nice, Adam, it's real nice." "(knocking on door)" "Was she upset enough to call off her hired killers?" "Well, if it ain't the great lady's knight in shining armor." "And what do you want here?" "Just a few words, friend." "The name is Smith, High Card Smith." "You must be the main Cartwright, huh?" "You have something to say, say it." "Hospitality." "Western hospitality, friend." "You know, as a matter of fact, everybody in Virginia City has been very inhospitable towards me." "Especially at the poker tables." "What are you selling?" "A history of Isabella De La Cuesta." "(coins jingle)" "Mr. Cartwright..." "Well, her name is Rosita Morales." "She used to be a barroom girl and a dancer in a cheap waterfront dive in San Francisco." "And just how do you know that?" "Son, I was there." "I'll bet you were." "Just a minute, just a minute, Adam." "That's what we wanted to find out, isn't it?" "You know who her family was?" "(laughs) Family." "A comanchero, Pedro Morales." "He runs a little store in a dirty little spot a few miles south of here called Los Aldos." "I want you to stay in Virginia City till that trial comes up." "You know I can't do that." "Make it worth your while." "All right, friend, but don't you try to find me." "I'll find you." "I'll find you often." "Well, now we know who our great lady is." "Well, I'm gonna get some fresh clothes, and then you and I are riding into Virginia City." "We're gonna see Luga and we're tell him exactly what we know, and we'll put an end to this thing right now." "(horse whinnying)" "I think we better keep our little appointment with Señor Luga." "(knocking on door)" "I was just riding." "I need a glass of wine for refreshment." "Try the saloon." "You wouldn't deny a friend a glass of wine, huh?" "Get out of here!" "No, what's on your lips is sweeter." "Let go of me!" "Perhaps you prefer young Cartwright, huh?" "Go away!" "Still good, huh?" "No, no, go away!" "You're surprised, Señor Cartwright, huh, to see your great lady in a lover's quarrel with one of her servants, huh?" "(chuckles)" "May we have a moment with you, señorita?" "Yes." "He forced his way in here." "You do believe that, don't you, Adam?" "I think it's about time this masquerade came to an end." "We know who you are." "You're Rosita Morales." "Maybe I am, but I am also Isabella De La Cuesta." "Your father's Pedro Morales." "My father is not Pedro Morales!" "He bought me from some Indians after my family was massacred." "I was too little to be killed." "But soon I became big enough to chase around the shack-- so I ran away to San Francisco." "Now, Miss Morales, how can you possibly expect us to believe that kind of story?" "Because it is the truth, and if you want to believe anything else, you'll have to prove it." "And while we're proving it, more killing, more bloodshed." "Is that what you want?" "I don't know anything about that." "But you can put an end to it." "How?" "Withdraw your claim to that land." "It's the only possible decent thing for you to do." "The decent thing to do." "Rosita Morales is not decent, is she?" "Then Isabella De La Cuesta will not be decent either." "But she will be rich." "And how many lives is that worth to you?" "(sobbing)" "Pa, that's enough." "What do you want me to do, help her?" "Feel sorry for her, what?" "I don't know, Pa, but this is getting us nowhere." "(sobbing)" "(sobbing)" "Adam..." "I think it's up to you to find Morales, and if he can disprove that story of hers, bring him back here." "And if not?" "Well, then, do whatever you think best." "But whatever it is, do it quickly." "All right, Pa." "But I don't want to miss anything, so don't start shooting till I get back." "(chuckling)" "(sobbing)" "How much do they know about you?" "They'll probably go after Morales." "I'll take care of it." "No!" "No, what can poor Morales do?" "He can't help us." "I'll be the judge of that, hmm?" "Don Antonio, I don't want any more killing." "Please, no more killing." "Yes, no more killing." "(sniffling)" "Why are you crying?" "I..." "Those Cartwrights... they have an unfortunate effect upon people, huh?" "(horse snorting)" "(gun clicking)" "One moment, amigo." "Don't turn around." "You're not going anyplace." "This will get you nowhere, Sanchez." "No?" "It will get me your life." "My life?" "Who sent you, Luga?" "No, not Luga." "Isabella De La Cuesta." "You're lying." "Why?" "You think she cares about you?" "I don't think she'd send you here to kill me." "You presume too much, señor." "Do I?" "(neighing)" "(neighing)" "(grunting and groaning)" "(grunting)" "(neighing)" "Help me get him out of there." "Yes..." "Whoa, whoa!" "(neighing continues)" "Whoa, whoa." "Whoa, whoa." "(neighing)" "He's dead." "Look, Jack, I'm in a hurry." "Tell the sheriff I'll explain this to him later, will you?" "*" "(sniffs)" "Hey... come on, wake up." "Wake up!" "¿Qué pasa?" "¿Quien es usted?" "Come on, wake up, wake up." "¿Qué quiere?" "Why?" "Who are you?" "What do you want?" "Now, listen." "I'm looking for a girl named Rosita." "What do you know about her?" "Rosita." "She remember Morales?" "She remembers." "A year ago, a man come and ask about her... but he gave me a bottle of whiskey." "What did you tell him?" "Señor, you..." "you give me money... for whiskey?" "I..." "I tell you more." "What can you tell me that I don't already know?" "Five years back... a woman come." "Very old." "From Mission San Jose." "She say she looking for little girl." "Who was the old woman?" "Whiskey, señor." "Come on, who was she?" "Who was she looking for?" "Whiskey, señor." "All right, all right." "Now, who was she, and who was she looking for?" "Her name was Doña Theresa Esperanza." "She was looking for a..." "girl named, uh..." "Isabella Maria De La Cuesta." "Isabella Maria De La Cuesta." "(playing rhythmic Spanish music)" "I might have known I'd find you here again." "I was just sitting here thinking." "You mean getting drunk." "Watch your tongue, señor." "I don't want to be hated." "Everyone loves the rich, hmm?" "That's good enough for you, isn't it?" "And not you?" "Or are you falling in love with this young Cartwright?" "And if I have, what business is that of yours?" "Must I remind you what we have at stake?" "Sanchez is dead." "And how did he die?" "Killing again?" "I told you I didn't want any more bloodshed." "Suppose they bring Old Morales back and the Cartwrights bribe him." "It would force a hearing immediately, and anything could happen." "But if I am Isabella, what are you afraid of?" "Justice is nebulous." "Everyone is behind the Cartwrights." "They love them in this town." "Is it so bad to be loved?" "When we are rich, they will love us, too." "(chuckling)" "(chuckling)" "Well, howdy, Judge!" "Oh, hi, Ben." "Come on in for some refreshment." "I can't, Ben." "I'm just rushing back from Carson Valley." "Oh." "But, I did want to speak to you for a second." "It's about that hearing." "Ben, I'm-I'm afraid I can't delay it any longer." "Well, Judge Blankney..." "Tell me, when do you expect the boys back from Monterey?" "Well, they should be back real soon, now." "It's a long ride over the Sierra." "Yeah, I know." "What about Adam?" "When do you expect him back, Ben?" "Well, it should be any day now." "Maybe tomorrow." "Now, I'm counting on you holding up that hearing till he gets back, Judge." "Ben, I can't." "I can't hold off any longer." "For the good of the people and the community, this thing has to be settled one way or another." "Ben, I've got to call that hearing for 2:00 tomorrow afternoon." "I'll see you then." "Come on, boy." "Come on." "Pa." "Hello, boys." "I'm glad you got back in time." "Not much good it did going." "Why, didn't you get the information I sent you for?" "We got it, Pa, but that's just the point." "What?" "It's just as they called it." "The De La Cuesta land grant is as solid as a rock." "The family was given possession of all that land in..." "What was that word, Little Joe?" "Perpetuity." "Yeah." "Yeah." "By the Spanish king himself." "That Señor De La Cuesta must've been quite a feller." "We'll have to wait for Adam." "What good's he going to do?" "He's our only chance now." "(gavel banging)" "It is now 2:00 and time for these proceedings to begin." "Your Honor, I would like to make a request." "What is it, Ben?" "I've been waiting for my son, Adam." "Something has delayed him." "I don't see why that should hold up these proceedings." "Your Honor, I think the issue is quite clear." "This is obviously a transparent attempt to delay and obstruct justice." "Well, surely, Your Honor, a few more days could be spared in a matter of such importance to so many people." "A few more days?" "!" "Your Honor, we have been forced to delay too long already." "Your Honor." "I am not opposed to the delay, if it will help things." "I think I know what is best for us, my dear." "But if Adam has some information bearing on the case, why should we be afraid to hear it?" "Evidence can be falsified." "Witnesses have been known to lie." "Or to tell the truth, Señor Luga." "This case affects the lives of so many people that I think nothing should be overlooked." "Therefore, I hereby adjourn these proceedings until 10:00 tomorrow morning." "(gavel bangs)" "It was a very foolish thing you did, my dear." "At this point, all I want is the truth." "Don't be so noble, Isabella." "That saloon on the waterfront, it's still there." "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "They're here!" "Well, Adam." "Hello, Pa." "How is everything?" "All right, outside of a little shooting." "Somebody tried to stop us outside of town." "Oh, the, uh..." "That's why you couldn't get here yesterday?" "Nope." "I had another reason." "May I present Doña Theresa Esperanza." "Doña Theresa, this is my father, Ben Cartwright." "I am honored, señora." "Thank you." "I am sorry you had to take such a long journey." "If at last I find my grandniece, no journey will have been too long or too difficult." "Well, uh, may I?" "I think you will be comfortable here." "Adam, who is she?" "She's the grandaunt and last living relative of Señorita De La Cuesta." "What about Señor Luga?" "Well, he's not her uncle, that's for sure." "LUGA:" "Doña Theresa." "Señor Luga?" "I did not expect to see you." "I'm sure of that." "Otherwise you would not be here." "Your Honor, this is the witness for whom we've been waiting." "This is Doña Theresa Esperanza." "Señora." "The great aunt of Isabella De la Cuesta." "The only link to her past, and the sole person able to identify her." "Identify her?" "(scoffs)" "Doña Theresa is an old woman." "She hasn't seen Isabella for many years, in fact since a little child." "How could she possibly give a valid identification?" "Who is this adventurer to decide on my qualifications?" "Not so long ago, he dared to visit me, and seek to enlist my aid in his evil and corrupt scheme." "What scheme do you refer to, señora?" "His plan for me to vouch for the identity of my grandniece, the last of the De La Cuestas." "Would you be able to identify the girl, if you saw her?" "Without question." "Very well." "Your Honor, I protest this entire proceeding!" "Señor Luga, you are out of order." "If you please, señorita!" "Señora, this is the girl to be identified." "Would you tell us if you know her?" "Turn around, young lady!" "Raise your head, please." "The carriage, the tilt of the head!" "The dark eyes!" "Your Honor, if I might see this young lady alone," "I shall be able to tell you whether she's indeed my grandniece." "No, that isn't necessary!" "It is obvious from Doña Theresa's reaction that this is her grandniece!" "Your Honor," "I would like to talk to this lady in private, as she suggests." "Sheriff, will you clear the room, please." "All right, gentlemen, step outside." "Doña Theresa..." "Doña Theresa, is there some way you can identify me?" "Some way?" "I mean anything definite!" "I have lived so much of my life with uncertainty." "What is it you seek out of life?" "Is it riches?" "Or power?" "Do you want to be a great lady?" "Is that such a very bad thing to want?" "No." "Nothing at all." "But let me tell you about the De La Cuestas." "The outstanding characteristic of the De La Cuestas was generosity." "Generosity?" "I'm an old lady, and perhaps sentimental, but I know in my heart that a De La Cuesta would have not taken the land from the people who bought it with their blood and sweat." "You seem to know a great deal about the situation." "That must have been a very interesting ride you had with Adam Cartwright." "Most interesting." "I know who I am now." "Thank you, Doña Theresa." "Thank you." "Your Honor, there is no need to go on any longer." "I am..." "Rosita Morales." "LUGA:" "She-she's lying!" "What did you do to her?" "!" "You are Isabella De La Cuesta!" "Tell 'em the truth!" "Señor Luga!" "You'll have your share of truth telling." "Come with me!" "You fool!" "You could have had it all!" "You could have been the richest woman in this country!" "Where are you going?" "I'm going back where I belong." "To San Francisco." "This must have been a difficult thing for you to do, to expose an imposter." "An imposter?" "What makes you think she's an imposter?" "Doña Theresa, is she Rosita Morales... or Isabella De La Cuesta?" "Who knows?"