08x34 - The Greedy Ones

[bunniefuu]

Howdy.

You get a little
rest now, Minnie.

And I'll be right back.

Poor Gus.

For 30 years he's
been bringing in

worthless samples for assaying.

Yeah, you'd think he'd give up.

No, not Gus.

You know, I've got an idea
how we can have some fun.

With Gus?

What do you got in mind?

Well, Gus always
leaves his samples

and heads straight
for the saloon, right?

Yeah.

So why don't we fix it
so the assayer hunts Gus

to tell him that he's finally
made that rich strike?

Well, you think the
assayer will go along with it?

Sure, he will.

Besides, we haven't played
a good old trick on Gus

for a long time.

It just might work.

When he comes out, you
follow him over to the saloon.

I can't wait till I see the
look on the old coot's face.

My throat's a
little dry, Minnie.

I'll be right back.

Give me a glass of whiskey.

Hey, Gus, how you doing?

Howdy, Joe, Hoss.

Hey, I said give me a whiskey!

When'd you get in town, Gus?

Oh, Minnie and I just rode in.

Another one.

And move a little
faster next time.

Then when I buy this place,

I might decide to
keep you on the payroll.

Hey, what'd you
do, hit it big, Gus?

Eh, can't never tell.

Hey, Gus, how come you
ain't stopped by the house

to say hello lately?

Uh, ain't been out that
way for a long time now.

What do you mean you
haven't been out that way?

I saw you by the north
fork of Little Beaver

just the other day.

No, y-you need glasses, Joe.

I don't know who you
saw, but it wasn't me.

Gus, I-I saw you
day before yesterday.

I was up on Sawtooth Ridge,
and I saw you down in the meadow.

You need glasses, too, Hoss.

'Cause I wasn't there either.

I told you I ain't
been out that way.

Gus! Gus!

I got great news!

That ore will run $3,400 a ton.

You hear that, boys?!

I finally hit it!

Bartender, get me a drink!

Get everybody a drink!

And we all hope it's worth
a million dollars to you, Gus.

Hold on! Hold on! Hold on!

Now, I know some of you
people think this is a joke,

but if it is, it's on you.

Gus' ore is jewelry stuff.

The richest I ever saw.

Rich! I'm rich!

Hey!

Where did you find it, Gus?

What are you saying, Slade?

You heard me... I
never saw richer gold ore

in my whole life.

Where's the strike?

I'm rich! What do
you know about that?

- Where'd you find it, Gus?
- Oh, I ain't tellin'.

- Where's the strike?
- I ain't tellin'.

Cartwrights said they
saw you on the Ponderosa.

- Oh, no, I ain't...
- Gus, is that where it is?

- Is it on the Ponderosa?
- Oh...!

You two saw him
on the Ponderosa.

Now, we all heard you say that.

Everybody at the
bar, let's have a drink!

Hey...!

Let's get out of here.

Come on, boys,
everybody up to the bar!

Come on!

Drinks are on...!

Come on, drinks are on me!

Hoss, how many people
you figure heard you tell Gus

you'd seen him on the Ponderosa?

Everybody in the
saloon, I reckon, Pa.

Now, it wasn't Hoss' fault.

I sh*t my mouth off, too.

Oh, it isn't anybody's fault.

Everybody'll hear
about it sooner or later.

San Francisco is probably
buzzing with the news right now.

Pa, you don't...
you don't suppose

old Gus really struck gold
on the Ponderosa, do you?

No, I do not.

Never found any
gold on this ranch.

Virginia City, the other
side of the city, not this side.

Suppose he did make
the strike on our property.

What would we do, mine it?

The only way you can make
any real money in mining gold is

by going into it in a big way.

You bring in monitors,
bring in hydraulics,

wash down the mountains,
get rid of all the trees, sink shafts

until you've eked all the
gold there is out of the ground,

and then maybe you've
made a lot of money,

but you've also ruined a
ranch called the Ponderosa.

I happen to like the
Ponderosa the way it is.

When it comes to that, so do we.

Gus didn't, uh, file
any claim, did he?

No, and the fact he
didn't file a claim's gonna

make a lot of people
think his strike was

on somebody else's
land, namely ours.

Exactly, that's what
keeps worrying me.

Once people get the gold fever,

they lose all respect for
other people's property rights.

If they think that gold was
found on the Ponderosa,

they'll overrun
this place like ants.

I think we'd better get
into town and talk to Gus

and just put a
stop to all this talk

about gold being
found on the Ponderosa.

The whole thing's ridiculous.

The way they're
telling it around town,

Jim Slade, the assayer, came in.

He said Gus' samples
were jewelry stuff.

Yes, the richest gold
ore he'd ever seen.

Thank you, Perkins, that's all.

I got here as soon as I could,

but I see you
already know about it.

You think I got where I am

by depending entirely
on you for my information?

No, sir, I-I'm sure you didn't.

That's the first time you've
been right in six months.

The assayer report,
did you get the details?

Yes, sir... the yield
is $3,400 a ton.

Nuggets, dust, or quartz?

Gold-bearing quartz, sir.

Very good.

If it were nuggets or dust, it
could be just a little pocket,

worth only a few thousands,

but if the samples are
gold-bearing quartz,

old Gus could have found himself

a whole mountain
of it worth millions.

Rumor has the strike on
the Cartwright property,

the Ponderosa.

If it is, it won't
do us any good.

Oh, stop acting like a woman.

But, C.J., if it's on
the Cartwright land,

it belongs to the Cartwrights.

Don't try to think, Henshaw.

Now, go get that old prospector,
and bring him over here.

Go on.

Yes, sir.

Perkins.

Sure is good to have you back

in my store again, there.

How come we don't see enough of
you around town anymore, either?

What's the matter with you?

Why don't you come
in once in a while, huh?

Say, uh... Mr., uh, Mr., uh...

say, Gus, I never did
know your last name.

Schultz, I think.

Near as I can remember.

Got a few more things wrote
down here that I'm gonna need.

Anything you say,
Mr. Schultz, you just name it.

You feelin' all right
this morning, Wooley?

Feel fine, sir.

Feel fine.

Yourself?

Yeah.

I'll need salt pork,
bacon, tea, beans,

and, uh, yeah, this shovel here.

Eh, certainly can.

Getting all this stuff together,

you must be figuring to
head out towards your mine.

That's what you figure, is it?

Now... Put your money away, sir.

Your credit's good
anywhere in town.

More so in here.

Yeah?

Well, that's a change.

Last time I came in here,

you tried to sweep
me out with the trash.

Oh, now, let's not be
like that, Mr. Schultz.

You take people too serious.

Why, uh, we're all
friends around here.

Is that so?

Strange, ain't it?

I've been in and around
this town for years.

Been elbowed away from
every bar and eatin' place.

Been the butt of
every unkind joke

anybody could dream up.

Now, all of a sudden,

everybody wants to buy
me drinks, call me friend.

Why do you reckon that is?

Well, I'm sure people didn't
mean you no harm, Gus.

That's an easy thing to
say if you ain't the one

gettin' laughed at
and shoved around.

Uh, when are you figurin' on
going out to the mine, Gus?

Now, what's that to you?

Unless you're figurin'
on following me

to find out where it is.

We ain't, Gus,

but you know there's a
lot of people in this town

just waiting to try it.

Now, what you
need is a bodyguard.

Oh, you applyin' for the job?

We figure we might keep you
out of any trouble you might get in.

In return for knowing
where the mine is, I guess.

Or a thousand a month, maybe?

No, thank you.

Wooley, I'll need one
of them there picks.

Yes, sir, yes, sir.

Guess owning a mine ain't
so easy as it sounds, eh, Gus?

Takes a lot of sweat, costs
a lot of money to work it right.

Well, I didn't find that mine

by sittin' in the
shade and whittling.

Need special equipment

to get the gold out
of there, won't you?

'Course I will.

Think I'm gonna dig
it out with my teeth?

A thousand dollars
will go a long ways

towards buyin' that
equipment, won't it?

A long way.

What you gettin' at, Wooley?

Well, I'm a
plain-speakin' man, Gus.

I reckon a thousand dollars
would buy a good interest

in that mine of yours.

Maybe, uh, 20%?

Like maybe half of one percent.

Oh, come on now, Gus.

I'm making you a serious offer.

Uh-huh, and I'm
makin' you one, too.

Now, what do I owe you?

No, no, uh...

I'll just put it on your bill.

Well, service is
lookin' up around here.

Maybe I'll call back again.

Oh, I'll pick up
all this stuff later.

Well, it'll be
ready, Mr. Schultz.

It'll be ready.

Oh, Gus! Oh, Gus!

Whoa.

There you are, Gus.

Mr. Schultz.

Mr. Schultz?

Uh, Mr. Schultz, I've been
looking all over for you.

Mr. Shasta would
like to talk to you.

You hear that, Wooley?

Mr. Shasta's a
big important man.

Owns maybe a dozen of the
richest mines in these parts.

Big house,
servants, fine horses.

Way I hear it, he's got money
he ain't even counted yet.

Maybe you'd like
to raise your offer

and bid against Mr. Shasta.

Nobody can do that.

When does he want to see me?

Uh, now, if it's
convenient, uh, Mr. Schultz.

Right now will be just fine.

Come on, Minnie, we're
gonna go a-callin' on Mr. Shasta.

We're ready.

Will this be satisfactory, sir?

Not for me.

But it should impress a man

who has been
used to a steady diet

of sowbelly and jackrabbit stew.

Yes, sir.

Get that, will you, please?

- Oh, good afternoon, sir.
- Uh-huh.

Oh.

Mr. Schultz, this is Mr. Shasta.

Howdy, Mr. Shasta.

Mr. Schultz, good of
you to come and see me.

I was just about to
have a little snack here.

- Care to join me?
- Oh, sure.

Here, let me help you.

You see anything else here...

- Oh, one of them there, that's good.
- All right.

- Now, would you care for a drink?
- Oh, sure. Yeah.

You prefer brandy,
bourbon or champagne?

Whatever you're havin'.

No, no, you name it.

Well, I've seen champagne

in them little
buckets a few times,

but I-I never tasted it.

All right, then champagne it is.

None finer anywhere.

Tastes pretty, but
don't have much jolt to it.

No, it doesn't.

Here, let me pour
something else for you here.

Napoleon brandy.

I'm sure this will be
much more to your taste.

There, try that.

That's good
drinkin' liquor, yeah.

- Here, have some more.
- Oh, thank you.

That's fine, that's fine.

Let's sit down and
have a little chat.

All right, don't mind if I do.

Oh, here, over here in my chair.

Oh, oh, sure.

Mr. Schultz, be comfortable.

Yeah, yeah.

You're a very lucky
man, Mr. Schultz.

Yeah, I guess I am at that.

But I wish you'd call me Gus.

Every time you say Mr. Schultz,

I think you're
talkin' to my father.

All right then, Gus.

Gus, it's a known fact

that you've made a
very rich gold strike.

Now, you've been a
miner long enough to know

that it takes a lot of time,
effort and money to get

that gold out of the ground
in commercial quantities.

Been thinkin' about that.

It's not a job for one man,

or two or even ten.

It's a job calling for manpower,
machinery and know-how.

Well, I wasn't figurin'
on doin' it all by myself.

Pretty good grub you got here.

Thank you, Gus.

Now, Gus, I operate
a number of mines,

big ones.

I can set up an organization
to handle your claim,

bring in men, machines,

drill shafts, build
a stamping mill.

I can process more
ore in one week

than you could in a whole year.

Cost a passel of
money, wouldn't it?

Money's no problem, Gus.

I'm offering you a partnership
in Shasta & Company.

Here.

$5,000 earnest money

to show you my good faith.

Come on, take it, Gus.

- It's yours.
- You...

You ain't givin'
this to me, are you?

It's an advance against
your share of the profits.

All you have to do

is sign a simple agreement.

Mr. Henshaw'll show you where.

You just sign right here.

Well, I don't know, Mr. Shasta.

Just sign, sit back,

without doing anything else,

you collect 25% of all the gold

we take out of your claim.

Just sitting there, Gus,
you're a wealthy man.

Do you like this home?

Oh, yeah.

I never been in a
home like this before.

In six months you can
have one just like it.

You won't have to work
another day of your life.

Well, I, uh, I-I got
to think about it.

Gus, I'm offering you a fortune.

There's not another
company in the country

that would make you
a deal as good as this.

But I-I can't sign no agreement.

A d... I-I'll make it $10,000.

No, no, here, here.

I-I got to go.

I got some things
to take care of.

Just a minute.

Gus, I-I wish you'd
make me a promise,

that you'll give me a
chance to meet or better

any offer that might
come your way.

Oh, sure, sure, Mr. Shasta.

And thanks for the grub
and the liquor and, uh...

That's all right, Gus.

I'm sure we can
work out something.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

He's dealing with somebody else.

No, Henshaw.

Well, why did he turn you down?

If it was any plainer, it'd
bite you right on the nose.

He didn't want to turn me down.

He wanted that money
so bad, he was drooling.

But he couldn't make a deal

because he doesn't
own the claim.

Now it's obvious that the
strike is on the Ponderosa.

Well, that's the
rumor, but I, well...

The rumor has become fact.

Now I know what I have to do.

♪♪

Yeah, just as we figured.

They're gettin' the fever.

As soon as Gus makes his
move, they'll pile in on him.

So, when I found the
strike, I says to Minnie,

"Minnie, you're gonna
have the best oats there is

the rest of your life."

Hello, boys, hello, Gus.

- Oh, Mr. Cartwright.
- Well, congratulations.

I hear you found
yourself a gold mine.

Well, I, uh, I've
been lucky at last.

You sure have.

Like to join us for a moment,

for a little bit of
conversation?

Won't take a minute.
Excuse us, boys.

- Come on over, Gus.
- Sure, Mr. Cartwright.

Here, sit yourself down.

Howdy, Gus.

Howdy, Joe, Hoss.

Gus, you, uh, you sure
stirred up a fuss in this town.

Oh, yes, I did.

Where'd you find it?

Well, you-you got
no right to ask a man

where he found
gold, Mr. Cartwright.

'Tain't nobody's business
where my strike's at.

Well, you're absolutely
right, Gus, of course.

It isn't any of my business.

Except if it's on the Ponderosa,

it is my business.

Well, I never said the
strike was on your place.

Yeah, but, Gus, you
didn't say it wasn't, neither.

Gus?

Gus, how about you making

a little sort of public
announcement

to the effect that it
isn't on the Ponderosa?

No, I ain't makin' no public
announcement about nothin'.

- Now, Gus...
- And nobody can make me, either.

- Of course...
- Now, look,

start tellin' folks
where it ain't,

and before long everybody's
gonna know right where it's at.

- I got to go.
- You're not going to lose anything.

You're not gonna lose any...

Well, that sure didn't
help very much, did it?

Let's get on home

before somebody stakes
a claim on our living room.

There you are,
Minnie, real oats.

You sure got 'em comin'.

Hmm, looks like we got
company comin', Minnie.

Afternoon, Gus.

Nice day for a ride.

You're a shrewd one, Gus.

I know now I underestimated

your ability as a businessman.

I'm ready to talk now.

I don't reckon we got anything

to talk about, Mr. Shasta.

I'm going to
sweeten the pot, Gus.

$15,000 in cash

and a 30% share of all the gold

we take out of your mine.

Now, that applies no
matter where your strike is.

All you have to
do is show it to me,

and I'll take care
of the rest of it.

There you are.

$15,000, cash.

I'm sure sorry.

I just can't do it.

Is that your last word?

Yeah. That's it.

Well, I'm sorry you feel
that way about it, Gus,

extremely sorry.

Come on, giddyap!

Giddyap!

Gentlemen,

our friend Mr. Schultz
needs a little persuading.

♪ Yes, sir, Minnie ♪

♪ You're gonna
have a good life. ♪

Lot of oats.

Yes, sir.

♪ Oh, Minnie ♪

♪ You're gonna
have a good life. ♪

Ain't, uh,

ain't you fellows kind
of a long way from town?

You should've told Mr. Shasta
what he wanted to know, Gus.

Been a lot easier on you.

And like I told you,

you should have hired
a couple of bodyguards,

'cause now you're
gonna need them.

What do you mean he didn't
tell you where his strike is?

You were sent out there
to get information for me.

Now, why didn't you?

Well, he kind of collapsed
before he got to that, sir.

If you'd let us
handle it our way,

we could have got
your information.

If I'd let you
handle it your way,

the man would be dead by now.

And I never would
get the information.

We did the best we
could, Mr. Shasta.

And we did like you said.

We never even touched his face.

Well, do we get our money?

This money is for
keeping your mouth shut.

Now get out of here.

Well, what have you
got to say for yourself?

Strangers everywhere,

and more coming every hour.

The hotels are full.

The only two words
you hear on the street

are "gold" and "Ponderosa."

Ponderosa? Hmm.

Well, the Ponderosa's very big.

A man could waste a
whole lifetime searching

unless he knew
just where to look.

The rainbow chasers know this,

so they stay in Virginia City

waiting for Gus
to stake his claim.

Yes, sir, but when he
does stake his claim,

then the rush will start,

and the Cartwrights will move
in to protect their property.

You worry too much.

In a situation like this,

a man doesn't
fight the inevitable.

He makes it work for him.

Henshaw, if you owned a
ranch as lovely as the Ponderosa,

and you saw complete
destruction coming,

wouldn't you be willing
to talk terms with a man

who could do something about it?

Well, wouldn't you?

Yes, sir, I... I
certainly would.

So will Ben Cartwright.

- Well, Mr. Shasta.
- Mr. Cartwright.

- Come in, come in.
- Thank you.

- Uh, you know Mr. Henshaw?
- Yes.

- Mr. Cartwright.
- Of course, of course.

- And may I have your hat?
- Yes, sir.

- Thank you.
- Well, this is an unexpected pleasure.

- Thank you.
- Why don't you come this way, please?

It's quite a while since
I've been out here.

- Yes, it has been quite a while.
- It's a long ride.

I might add a very
dusty one, too.

Last time I was here I seem
to recall your pouring me

a glass of excellent brandy

that did cut the
dust from the throat.

Well, let me refresh your taste.

Thank you. Just a drop.

I still think this is the most

beautiful ranch
house I've ever seen.

Well, thank you very much.

Lots of excitement in town.

People pouring in
from everywhere.

- So I understand.
- Thank you.

I guess the, uh, the merchants
are doing a landslide business.

Yes, they wish they did that
kind of business every day.

Well, good luck...
and good health.

Thank you.

To you.

Mmm.

Excellent brandy.

Even better than I remembered!

Yes, indeed. Very fine.

Thank you. Won't you sit down?

Uh, thank you. It's
been a long ride.

I'll stand.

Cartwright?

Are you aware that you
are sitting on a powder keg?

Oh, really?

What are you getting at?

You're a rancher.

You deal in cattle,
lumber and land.

Now...

gold has been discovered
on the Ponderosa.

Now, hold on just
a moment there.

There has been the
report of a gold strike.

But, uh, there's no proof
that it was on the Ponderosa.

Well, I have reason
to believe that it is.

And wherever gold is discovered,

trouble usually follows.

Well, even if it were,
as a private ranch,

it's closed to prospecting.

Nobody can or ever will
stake a claim on this property.

That's a commendable attitude.

A man should
protect what's his own.

But I'm a mining man.

I've seen this happen before.

And regardless of
whether it's a private ranch

or whether it's illegal
to stake a claim on it,

people will pour in
by the thousands.

They will trample
you right into the dirt.

You're in serious
trouble, Cartwright.

Well, if I'm in that
kind of trouble,

I guess I should
get the law into this.

I guess I could, uh, apply
to the army for troop support.

Well, it depends on how soon

they get here and
in what numbers.

And besides, when they do,

the soldiers will
probably desert

to hunt gold on their
own. It's happened before.

Mr. Shasta?

I believe you have a plan.

Yes.

To get there first
with the most.

You need me, Cartwright.

I think we should
form a partnership

for our mutual profit.

Together we make a
deal with Gus Schultz.

You give me the exclusive
mineral rights to all the land

between Sawtooth
and Little Beaver.

Now, in return, I move in men

and the most modern equipment.

I do all the work.

And we split every
dollar of profit evenly.

Well, this
presupposes, of course,

that the gold was
discovered on this ranch.

What about the, uh,

the thousands of prospectors?

What about them?

Just a temporary nuisance.

In the face of a big,
well-organized operation,

they won't stay long.

But they would
overrun the place.

Probably, just like
they did in California.

And right here when the
Comstock Lode was found.

If the, if the gold
were discovered here,

Mr. Shasta,

how would you
go about mining it?

By the most efficient methods.

I see.

Would that include
the, the use of, uh,

hydraulic machinery?

Yes, if that's the
most efficient method.

Mm-hmm. Isn't that the
machinery that you used, uh,

at the Wentworth ranch when
you took that over by Gold Hill?

That's right.

Yeah, Yes, that
was very efficient.

That machinery managed
to turn a thousand acres

of beautiful prime
land into a sea of mud,

boulders and rocks.

Now, gentlemen, I'm afraid I...

I don't intend to let you
do that to the Ponderosa.

Now, don't be hasty, Cartwright.

Well, I've made you
what I consider to be

a very fair proposition

- from which you could profit tremendously.
- Mm-hmm.

And if we work together,

I'm sure we can
even improve on that.

Aha, well.

How would you go about improving

the Ponderosa,
though, Mr. Shasta?

Once you turned
it into a wasteland.

No, I'm afraid I
can't let you do that.

This is a beautiful ranch.

It's the only legacy
I have for my sons.

I can see you've
closed your mind.

Well, I can understand
your point of view.

I need scarcely
remind you, though,

that I'm not easily discouraged.

Thank you for the
excellent brandy.

Thank you, Mr. Cartwright.

Henshaw.

Gentlemen?

- Bye.
- Good day.

Good day.

Hey, I just saw Shasta leave.

What did he want?

Well, Mr. Shasta wants to
go into the mining business

with us as partners, right
here on the Ponderosa.

Isn't that nice?

So, we'd better go find Gus.

Bring him out here now.

Why? He wouldn't
talk to us before.

Well, he has to talk to us now.

He's no match for
a man like Shasta.

Go find him, hog-tie him,

but bring him here.

Yes, sir.

Hey, Gus?

Hey, Gus!

♪♪

Well, there's nothing
we can do, boys.

So, why don't you just go
on about your business?

Joe.

What's this all about, Roy?

Old Gus' mule come into town
with Gus draped over her back.

Been b*at up pretty bad.

He's inside.

Well, go on... men!

Oh, Joe.

How's Gus?

Not good.

Is there any chance I can
talk to him just for a minute?

He won't make much
sense until tomorrow, Joe.

All he keeps mumbling
is that he never meant

to make the Cartwrights
so much trouble.

I told him three months
ago that his heart

wouldn't stand much more.

And this b*ating
just about did him in.

Look, I'll go back to
the ranch and tell Pa.

We'll come in town
tomorrow and stay at the hotel.

Let us know as
soon as he can talk.

I will, Joe.

Thanks, Doc.

Well, Gus, you sure have

this town stirred up.

Sign up now and
get a $50 grubstake!

Shasta Mining
Company will pay the man

who locates Gus Schultz's strike

a $5,000 finder's fee!

And in addition... in addition,

will give that man
25% of all profits

taken from any
mining done there.

Now, in the
interest of fair play,

no one starts the hunt until
Mr. Shasta gives the word.

That way everyone
has an even chance.

How's it going, Henshaw?

Uh, 212 men so far, Mr. Shasta.

We should have 300
before the day is over.

Very good, very good.

I'll be at home.

Yes, sir.

Sign up now,

and get your $50
grubstake, everybody!

Shasta Mining
Company will pay the man

a $5,000 finder's fee.

And in addition, will
give that man 25%

of all profits taken from
any mining done there.

Sign up now and
get a $50 grubstake!

- All right, sign up everybody!
- Look at that.

Get your grubstake!

Shasta Mining Company
will give that man 25%

of all profits coming from
any operational back plan!

Sign up now and
get a $50 grubstake!

Excuse me, Mr. Henshaw.

Where's Mr. Shasta?

He's not here, Mr. Cartwright.

He's at home.

He is, is he?

Sign up now and
get a $50 grubstake!

Shasta Mining Company
will pay the man who locates

Gus Schultz's strike
a $5,000 finder's fee!

All right.

Now, you stay at the hotel and
wait for word from the doctor.

I'm gonna see
Mr. Shasta at his house.

Hyah! Hyah!

I'm sorry, sir, I'll
have to announce you.

It's all right, I
think he'll see me.

Well, come in, Cartwright.

Mr. Shasta, I'd like
you to call your men off.

Would you care for some brandy?

I said I'd like you
to call your men off.

You gave me some very
fine brandy when I visited...

Mr. Shasta, I just came from
your office where Mr. Henshaw

is recruiting prospectors.

Yes, I was agreeably surprised.

Henshaw tells me we'll have
over 300 men by nightfall.

Where do you think they're
going to be doing their prospecting?

Between Sawtooth
and Little Beaver.

Any fool with half
a brain in his head

knows that's Ponderosa country.

Now, wait a minute, Cartwright.

- You can't prove that.
- I don't have to prove it.

- Everybody knows it.
- I've been doing a little research here.

- This should interest you.
- I'm not interested in your research.

Just tell Mr. Henshaw to stop
recruiting those prospectors.

Now, Sawtooth and Little Beaver,

that's wild, rough
country up there.

- Yes, it is.
- Now, these townships are yours.

- Descriptions and deeds are duly recorded.
- That's right.

Now, on a map a boundary
is a line drawn on paper.

But on the ground out
there in that tangle of forests

and canyons and cliffs,
where is the boundary?

Right where it's always
been, Mr. Shasta.

The line runs from the tip of
the lake over to Mount Blue.

I own everything south of that.

So the descriptions say.

But where exactly is that line?

I just told you, right where
it's always been, right there.

Now, if that boundary was
ever completely surveyed...

Which I doubt... It
was a long time ago.

There are no fences out there.

Where are the witness
trees, the cornerstones?

Who can say exactly
where the Ponderosa ends

and the public lands begin?

I can.

Now, I take the negative view.

You may own part of that
land, Cartwright, but not all of it.

Mr. Shasta, let's get one
thing straight right now.

The first man... sets foot

on any part of that
land, south of that line...

I take you to court.

Wait a minute, Cartwright.

I expect you to.

Mining and litigation
go hand in hand,

that's been the history of it.

Every mine in the Virginia
City area has been in litigation

ever since the first
shovel of earth was turned.

It's always been that way.

Same thing exists today.

I have an excellent
legal staff, Cartwright.

You're going to have to
fight this battle on my terms.

Unless, of course,
you want to reconsider

the offer you turned down
when I visited your ranch.

Ben, you certainly have a right

to expect the law to
protect your property...

Providing, of course,
it is your property.

And from what you tell me, there
could be some doubt about that.

Now, Roy, I told you,

Shasta is trying to tie the
Ponderosa up in litigation

while he plunders it.

We know that, but the point is

that the boundary is not marked,

and running prospectors off

of what they believe
to be public land

could lead to an
all-out sh**t' w*r.

Well, how do I stop them
from going on that land?

Pa, we found Bill in
the Recorder's Office.

- Oh, Bill.
- Hello, Ben.

Glad to see you.
Thank you for coming.

Listen, I need a job
done very quickly.

How long do you
think it'll take you

to survey the north
boundary of the Ponderosa?

Well...

if I can hire a full crew and
don't run into bad weather...

50, 60 days.

That long?

Oh, easy.

Well, you'd better do it.

And start work right now.

You're hired as of this minute.

Right, Ben.

60 days.

Well, how do I keep
them off the Ponderosa

for that length of time?

Hey, Bob, Bob!

What's all the rush about?

Old Gus is gone.

Oh, Doc...

I was just going to the
hotel, looking for you.

Gus is gone.

I know it. Do you
know where he went?

No, I was called out
on an emergency,

and when I came
back, he was gone.

Whole town seems to know it.

They know it because I told 'em.

I wanted all the
help I could get.

His heart's so
weak, he could die,

if I don't get him
back into bed.

Doc, those men
don't care about Gus,

they just want to find out
where he staked his claim.

Well, all I want is to
try and save his life.

Well, if he went
back where I saw him,

he'd be out at Sawtooth,
by Little Beaver.

Well, you boys go after
him and find him, quick.

I'm going to stay in town

and see if I can get
the army in on this,

and talk some sense into
those gold-hungry buzzards.

We'd stand a better
chance if we all split up.

We might.

Then again, you might
know something we don't...

try to get rid of us,

and go after that $5,000
finder's fee all for yourself.

Not to mention 25% of the mine.

Now, look, we've been
working together for months...

and you think I'd
do a thing like that?

We worked together...
for small change.

This is big money.

There's no sign
of him on the flat.

Leaves the meadow
and Little Beaver.

Too bad old Gus just didn't
come right out and tell you

that he'd found gold
on the Ponderosa.

Yeah, and it would've saved
everybody a lot of trouble.

I'll tell you what...

You two split off and
I'll take the meadow.

All right. If you
don't find him,

you'll know where we'll be at.

♪♪

Joe and the sheriff are
hunting old Gus, too.

Yeah, Joe saw him
prospecting around here.

He's got a better idea of
where he is than we have.

This'll make
things easier for us.

Roy, take a look.

Yeah.

♪ Dreamed I saw
the biggest strike... ♪

♪ That ever been found ♪

♪ Dreamed... ♪

Howdy, Gus.

You all right, Gus?

No, I ain't all right...
but I don't care.

Look at me.

Been nothin' all my life.

Then, couple months ago...

Doc says I'm
gonna die, real soon.

I lived like nothin'...

and now I was
gonna die like nothin'.

I never thought you
were nothing, Gus.

Bless your heart,
boy, I know that.

But I wanted more.

Just once, before I d*ed...

I wanted the
respect of everybody.

People to look up to me...

think I was a man worth knowing.

And I made it.

Didn't I, Little Joe?

Yeah, you made it, Gus.

Been a big man since my strike.

Everybody... talking
about old Gus.

Buying me drinks.

Why... people even
started calling me

Mr. Schultz.

So, this is where
your strike is.

Yes, sir, you found her.

This is where she is, all right.

Gus, what's the matter?

My arm... it's gone dead.

I can't feel anything.

Hey, couple of you men help
the sheriff get a travois made.

We gotta get him to the doctor.

Fallon!

Hey! You come back here!

Figured Pike and Fallon'd run.

Them two b*at me... bad...

trying to find out
where my strike was.

And it's here... right here...

behind that rock yonder.

Gotta be... the biggest joke...

that ever was... But
I was a big man...

Mr. Schultz.

You were a big man, Gus.

I found it!

I found the mine!

I found the gold!

I found... I found Gus' mine!

I want the $5,000!

Now, you get me the
money, I'll tell you where it is.

No, I'll show you where it is.

I want more than
your word, I want proof.

You give me the money,
I'll give you plenty of proof.

Stop!

It ain't his money, it's mine.

Now, I'm the one who
found Gus' strike, not him.

Was Fallon with you?

I was there first, and
I want that money.

I'll tell you who
gets the money...

The man who staked the claim.

Now, which one of you is that?

Come on, speak up.

No, you don't!

All right, that'll be enough!

I think it's about time I had
something to say about this!

Now, that strike is on
Ponderosa country...

Nobody stakes a claim,
do you understand?

Absolutely nobody!

Don't listen to him!

That is public land out there!

I don't know all of you fellas.

My name's Ben Cartwright.

Those of you who do
know, I'm a man of my word.

And my word is that nobody
sets foot on the Ponderosa.

Nobody!

Fallon, Pike, you
two are under arrest.

Old Gus made a dying statement

that you're the ones
that b*at him up.

Shasta paid us to do it.

He wanted the gold mine.

There's your gold mine, Shasta.

All two sacks of it.

Gus bought the ore.

We found the
receipt in his pocket.

See, there never
was a gold mine.

Just a lonely old man
who spent his whole life

looking for the big strike
that never happened.

Now, you thought Gus
was pretty funny, didn't you?

You used to laugh at him, make
him the butt of all your jokes.

But one day, the doctor
told Gus he was gonna die.

But before he went, he wanted
that one big moment of glory.

Well, Gus got it.

And this time,
the laugh's on you.

Come on, Shasta.

The gold rush was over,

gone like a soap
bubble in the sun.

The Ponderosa was
just as it had always been,

and we went home.