09x31 - The Stronghold

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Bonanza". Aired: September 12, 1959 - January 16, 1973.*
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Set during and after the Civil w*r, "Bonanza" is the story of Ben and his 3 sons on the family's thousand-acre spread, known as the Ponderosa, near Virginia City.
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09x31 - The Stronghold

Post by bunniefuu »

Them Farrell brothers
said a quarter to three.

- I'm wondering if we're early or late.
- We’re late. The bank's closed.

Won't be able to get
that cashier's check today.

Well, now you worry
about the unimportant stuff.

I'm wondering how long it'll take us
to get across the street to that saloon.

Stop worrying about the saloon.
That'll be open till midnight or later.

Yeah, but Joe, on a hot day like
this they might run out of cold beer.

Hey, Mike. Josh, how you doing?

Joe. Dude, how are
you? Sorry we're late.

We weren’t waiting, we just got
here, but the bank's already closed.

Well, we’re not gonna let
that stampede us, are we?

We got the money
for the herd here.

What good's the
money if we got no bank?

You want to turn it into a
cashier's check, so let's go get one.

- Just like that, eh?
- Why not?

Done enough business with
this bank to rate a couple of favors.

This is Mike Farrell. Open up.

Sorry, the bank's closed.

I'm Mike Farrell,
this is Joe Cartwright.

He wants to trade $15,000
for a cashier's check.

He's in a hurry, and so
am I, so open this door.

You must be new. I've
never seen you before.

Well, not exactly new, I've been
here a month, but I do know you.

I wouldn't have opened the door
except that Mr. Moore, our president,

- pointed you out on the street yesterday.
- Good. Let's get on with it.

It's highly irregular. I'm not... I'm
not sure Mr. Moore would approve.

He'll approve or I'll take
my business elsewhere.

There's nothing irregular about a
cash deal. The money's right here.

Well, I guess
it'll be all right.

$15,120. And please make out a
cashier's check to Joe Cartwright.

My tally makes your herd
eight head over 1,000, Joe.

Yeah. We would have been ten
over. We lost two crossing the creek.

Well, most herds are a few head short.
Pleasure to pay for the extra steers.

Pleasure to take
the extra money.

You got a receipt book
around here somewhere?

Uh, yes, sir. I had it
around here the other day.

Oh, there it is, sir.

Thank you.

Joe, the next time you're
up in the Arizona territory,

you stop in and
see us, you hear?

Ask anybody where the Acabo is
and they'll tell you where to find it.

- All right, I'll do it.
- Yeah, it's a great spread, the Acabo.

Good hunting there. Come
and plan to spend a week.

I'd love to, if my pa
ever gives me a week off!

Uh... Here you
are, Mr. Cartwright.

- Thank you. Here's your receipt.
- Thank you.

Listen, thank you very much.
Sorry we kept you so late.

You don't keep much of a
watch. Anybody could walk right in.

I saw you coming.

Well, everything
went like we planned it.

Not quite. What
happened to that cashier?

Oh.

- You hit him too hard.
- I only tapped him.

I swear he had a head
made of egg shells.

- Where’s the money?
- Let's get something straight first.

There's a rope in this
now. The price has gone up.

- I want a bigger cut.
- How much?

- Down the middle. Half.
- Phew!

Tell you what, you make it a third
and I won't give you an argument.

And you can count out your
share right here and now.

- No tricks?
- I'm your friend, remember?

I found you and your wife
down in Mexico, no money,

no food, holes in your
boots, and wanted by the law.

I've been taking very
good care of you ever since.

Sure you have, because you
needed a man who knew banks.

We needed each other.

Get the money and count it out.

Jackson, how many
banks have you peeled

to get money to invest in high living
and racehorses that stop to graze?

- Two, three?
- What’s the difference?

No difference. It's just that
you're gonna ride back to get Lisa,

head right for the border
again, and that's a mistake.

You're gonna wind up broke and
hungry, just like you did before.

You're really better off at the
ranch, and Lisa loves it there.

She'll like Mexico
City much better.

This pretty green paper's gonna
put us right back on top again.

Get some of those blankets on
the bed and wrap him up good.

Put him on his horse and dump him
in one of the canyons south of here.

What’ll we do with his horse?

Turn him loose the first Indian
sign we see. They'll steal him.

I wouldn't have thought of that.

That's the difference
between you and me.

Calamitous, I know.

There's so much money involved I
wanted to tell you about it personally.

I've been sick,
truly sick about this.

Now, look, my $15,000 was
given to a teller in your bank.

Dude saw it, and so
did the Farrell brothers.

I'm sure they did, but unfortunately
the man who took your money

and made out that
check was an imposter.

Now, this bears a genuine
signature of our cashier,

if you compare it with
the one on the forgery.

Yeah, they're
completely different.

So, how do I get my money?

I'm deeply sorry, but we
can't honor a forged check.

Wait a minute, you got a sheriff in
Dry Wells. What’s he doing about this?

Trying to find the imposter, without
success up until the time I left.

Well, we suffered a loss, too.

Our cashier was clubbed
over the head and d*ed later.

Well, it's my turn
to say I'm sorry.

I want to keep these. I might
need them. Dude, saddle the horses.

- Where are you going?
- After the money.

- Well, I’m going with you.
- No, you're not.

Pa left you in charge of the
ranch while he's in San Francisco.

It was my job to deliver and
sell those cattle. I lost the 15,000.

- I'll get it back.
- How about if I go along?

- I never been to Dry Wells.
- Well, now's your chance.

- We’ll back as soon as we can, brother.
- Okay. Take it easy, Candy.

Well...

Mr. Moore, you might as
well stick around for supper.

Well, thank you.
That’s very nice.

Mrs. Jackson. Lisa.

Yes, Mr. Farrell?

- Did the mail come?
- No.

But I'd like to talk
to you anyway.

In the house, out of
the sun, where it's cool.

I don't mind the sun.

I do.

Come by for rations, huh? Good.
How's the kitchen help treating you?

- Just fine, thank you, Mr. Farrell.
- You're way too formal.

Let's make it Mike
and Lisa, shall we?

Pedro! Get in here!

Pedro!

Scraps! Throw 'em out!

If you ever give Señora
Jackson anything like that again,

I'll slice off your ears and roast
them and throw them to the dogs.

It's not his fault.

He gave me what I asked for.

You put steaks in there.
Thick, juicy, tender steaks.

I want corn, I want potatoes, I
want fresh bread and fresh butter.

Sí, Patrón.

And two of the best
bottles of wine I've got.

Bueno.

You've gotta yell at them
or they don't do anything.

Speaking of wine,
what's your pleasure?

Nothing, thank you.

Lisa, it's not right for you to be
living out there in that adobe shack

doing all your own work.

I let you do it because it's
what your husband wanted.

It was wrong when he
was here and it's worse now.

To better days.

Lisa, in this part of the world,
the quality lives in the big house,

the hacienda.

Shacks are for servants.

This place is full
of spare rooms.

Pick any one you want, any one.

No, Mr. Farrell, I'm afraid my
husband would never approve.

Kelty! Open up the gate!

Lisa.

To what do we owe
the honor of this visit?

I heard your horse. I hoped
it was my husband riding in.

- Has my brother been bothering you?
- He is... persistent.

I'll take care of it.

Thank you.

You made a quick trip.

Maybe even a little
quicker than you expected.

$2,500.

The last of the Cartwright herd.

Was the quartermaster
at Fort James satisfied?

Why shouldn't he be? There's
no better beef than Cartwright beef.

There'll be none
better than Farrell beef

now that we got the money
to operate the way we should.

That little trick at the bank in Dry Wells
really put us right back on top again.

We haven't heard
the last of that.

Don't you think I know that?

All I bought was time,
time to get rid of the herd.

The Cartwrights will be
coming over the mountain.

In their boots, I'd
do the same thing.

- When they get here, what then?
- What can they prove?

We bought a herd
and we paid cash for it.

We don’t know any more about
what happened after that than they do.

They're not gonna believe that.
We're gonna have to fight them.

All right.

- We’ll fight. We've got the men.
- What do you mean we got the men?

We got three g*ns we can
depend on. Mine, yours and Kelty's.

We’ll hire more.

There's something else
on your mind. Let's have it.

Yeah.

There's something else. I
know that that thing in Dry Wells

was just an excuse to get
the Jacksons out of Mexico.

I've watched you work
for a lot of years, Mike.

Abner Jackson didn't know it, but he
was dead from the minute you saw Lisa.

You want Lisa, but
she doesn't want you,

and that's the
way it's going to be.

Don't you mouth off at me,
boy. You're talking to the man!

I changed your pants,
cleaned your messes,

wiped your nose and paid your
bills ever since you were born.

Paid my bills?

You were the one that couldn't
cut loose from the poker tables

till you were in so deep we
had to mortgage the ranch.

- My ranch! I built it.
- Our ranch.

- Pa left it to both of us.
- Get outta here!

How many fights we
had, Mike, huh? 100? 200?

And you won them
all, except the last one.

I could have broken you
over my knee, if I wanted to.

Not then, or now,
and don't ever try.

Stay away from Lisa. Stay
clear away or we're gonna tangle.

And that will be the second
and last fight you'll lose.

Billy Blake was right
in here under this table

all the time you and the
Farrells was in the bank.

Old Billy was getting on. He,
uh... He didn't see too good.

Didn't hear too good.

I guess that's how come
somebody could hide in here

until he pulled the blinds
and locked the door.

- And no suspects, huh?
- No.

We didn’t even know what the man
looked like till we got your telegraph.

But we tried anyway,
as hard as we know how.

You see, Billy was
a cousin of my wife's.

Four days before she'd let me stay in
the house long enough to eat a meal.

Well, there’s nothing
more to see in here.

Aside from my 15,000, did
the bank lose any money?

No, the vault was locked.

You know, Mr. Cartwright, the
description of that cashier you sent,

it seems to fit a man who
was here for two or three days

before the bank was robbed,
but he's plumb gone since.

This whole thing
was well planned.

Yeah, had to. The bank was
closed, the vault was locked.

That fake cashier didn't stand
to make a cent unless he knew

that you and the Farrells and the
money was gonna walk into this bank.

Yeah. Do you think
he pulled it off alone?

I don't know. We're not
gonna know until we catch him.

You gents want to walk down to
the jail with me, I got some coffee.

- Sounds good.
- Of course it ain't fresh, but...

I found him hid under some
rocks in a canyon off Apache Flats.

Had one b*llet
through the heart.

It's the phony cashier.

I found this in one of his pockets,
and that's all I found on him.

- Do you know her?
- Nobody I ever saw.

I've seen everybody around
here within two days' ride.

You want my opinion, we just
slammed into the end of the box canyon.

Take him down to Doc's.

That dead man ain't
gonna help us none.

Looks to me like he
wasn't in this alone.

Only two other people knew that
we were bringing $15,000 in that bank.

The Farrell brothers.

They did kind of open that
bank easy like, didn't they?

- What do you know about them, Sheriff?
- Oh, not very much.

Except that they're long gone
into Arizona Territory by now,

cattle sold, the money
stashed and out of my reach.

Who’s the law down there?

Well, a territorial marshal rides by
the Acabo about once every six months.

Outside of that, the Farrells are
pretty much about all the law there is.

- Mind if I keep this?
- No.

Let's go see the
Farrell brothers.

From what I hear, they
got a real fort down there.

They hire a lot of
border g*n hands.

You'd do a sight better sticking
your head in a rattler's nest.

Yeah, maybe so, but there's no other
way to get to them. Come on, let's ride.

Joe, just how far
is this Farrell ranch?

Oh, I figure the Acabo ought
to be about another day's ride.

Acabo. You know, that's a name I've
been hearing ever since I was a kid.

Acabo it's Spanish.
It means "I finish."

Yeah, well, I hope
it isn't our finish.

You're full of witty
sayings and optimism.

That's what I like
about you, Dude.

By the way, how are we
gonna get in the Farrell place?

We're gonna ride up and ride in.

Oh, yeah, just like
three fat little quail

flying straight into the
barrels of a shotgun.

Straightforward, that's you,
Joe. Not me, I'm a little more, uh...

Sneaky.

"Devious" is the word I had in
mind, but "sneaky" will do fine.

I read a story once
about a big fort.

There were some soldiers trying to
get in, so they built a big wooden horse.

And they took it up
to the gate and left it.

- Yeah, it's The Trojan Horse that one.
- The Trojan Horse, yeah.

You get past bays
and duns and I'm lost.

The people opened the gate
and dragged the horse inside.

There were men inside the horse.

When the soldiers got back, they had
the gate open and the battle half won.

It occurs to me that two of
us would be a lot better off

if one of us was inside the
fort when the other two rode up.

Are you volunteering?

It's got to be somebody the Farrells
don't know. It seems to come down to me.

Candy, you are sneaky.

If the fighting starts, it'll be you
and me that's getting sh*t at, Joe.

And I'll be the one man
who ain't sh**ting at you.

He thinks of
everything, don't he?

How do you figure
on getting inside?

I think I'll get me some
boards and build me a horse.

Hey, muchacho.

- What do you want?
- Uh, in.

- I want to talk to the boss.
- About what?

- I'll tell the boss.
- That's what you think, mister.

You don't get in here until
you tell me what you want.

What’s going on out there?

Some saddle tramp
wants to see the boss.

Well, boss?

All right. Open
the gate. Let him in.

All right, you're in.
Now, what do you want?

Work. I'm a top hand.

- You any good with that g*n?
- Try me. Find out.

Really comes right at
you, doesn't he? I like that.

- And we can use another hand.
- Can't use you, mister.

Kelty, get him out of here.

You heard the man. Move!

Hurry up. Out!

Take him, Kelty.

Tell your hired hand to get out of
that g*n belt without touching the g*n.

Do what he says, Kelty.

This the kind of man you hire? He looks
like a short measure of nothing to me.

You get out of those
g*n belts, I'll show you.

That won't be necessary.
I guarantee, no gunplay.

He took our best hand apart without
even working up a sweat. We need him!

Maybe. Where are you from?

- Different places.
- What places?

Virginia City,
Gold Hill, Carson,

Tonopah, Dry Wells, all over.

All right.

I want $10 more a
month than he's getting.

Well, you're worth
it. You're hired, friend.

Thank you, kindly.

- I'm Mrs. Lisa Jackson.
- Something I can do for you?

I heard you say you were
from the north, Dry Wells.

That's one of the
places I stopped at, yeah.

My husband is up there on business. I
wondered if you might have seen him?

Jackson?

No, I don't think I met
anybody by that name.

He's dark, curly hair,
hazel eyes, moustache.

Well...

Lisa, I see you've
met our new hand.

- We were just talking about Dry Wells.
- She was asking me about her husband.

Ma'am, I'm sorry, I didn't
meet anybody by that name,

but I was just in there long
enough to say howdy and goodbye.

Yes.

- Well, thanks anyway.
- Goodbye.

- Pretty woman.
- Yeah.

You came in from up Reno way.
How long were you on the trail?

- Three, four weeks.
- Moved right along, huh?

I don't stay where I
don't like what I see.

No offense. I
wasn't trying to pry.

It's just that outside news is scarcer
around here than dancing girls.

I thought something might
have happened along the way.

No, nothing. Oh, there was
a bank robbery in Dry Wells.

Something different about it. I
never did get the straight of that.

I guess you know there's more to
your job than just guarding that gate.

g*n hand pay there usually is.

Mrs. Jackson is
the worrying kind.

That robbery had nothing
to do with her husband.

- No point in telling her about it.
- I wasn't planning to.

Good.

She lives in an adobe out back.

She asked me to see nobody
bothers her while her husband's gone.

If I'm not around,
that's part of your job.

Keep everybody away from
there, including my brother.

Well, that might not sit too good,
a hired hand chasing the boss.

The boss? I hired you. I didn't
say anything about chasing.

You just walk up and
stand there till he leaves.

Kelty!

Over here.

If Mike wants to know why
you're there just tell him to ask me.

All right. Will do.

Take over here. Candy's
going to get something to eat.

- That's what I was gonna do.
- You've already hit the kitchen twice!


This time, Candy eats first.

Digging right in, ain't you?
Making yourself a home?

I'm doing what I'm
told, just like you.

Yeah, well, I'll tell you something,
you're shining up to the wrong fella.

Josh is just a pup.
Mike runs this spread.

And something else, you and me,
we ain't through yet. We got one to go.

Well, you try it. You
might get yourself a raise.

When I'm ready. And you may as
well give that saddle of yours away,

'cause you sure ain't
gonna be needing it.

Nice evening, Lisa.

It's pleasant
out here, isn't it?

- Yes, it is, Mr. Farrell.
- Still Mr. Farrell, huh?

Lisa, I don't want to hurt you,
but I've got to tell you the truth.

I don't think you're ever
gonna see your husband again.

On that ride up north, why, he talked
about California and a fresh start.

I didn't mention it
before because...

Well, I just couldn't
find the right words.

But, Lisa, he's not coming
back. He just... just rode on west.

- I don't believe you.
- Wait.

I know how hard it is to accept
because of the way you feel about him.

But it's true!

I even lied about the
mail for the same reason.

The mail from the north comes twice a
week, not every two weeks, like I said.

I've had four letters from
Dry Wells since we got back.

- Goodnight, Mr. Farrell.
- Wait, Lisa. There's something else.

You don't have to worry,

because I'm gonna see to it that
you don't want for anything ever.

Not for the rest of your life.
And I'll be proud to do it, Lisa.

I don't want anything
from you, Mr. Farrell.

All right. I spoke too soon.

Think about it, Lisa.

I'd break my back
to make you happy.

Mrs. Jackson?

- Fresh water.
- Who told you to fetch anything?

I asked him to, Mr. Farrell.

- Thank you very much, Candy.
- Mm-hm.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

You take a lot on yourself, boy.

- After this...
- After this...

Candy will do Lisa's chores.

She likes it better
that way. And so do I.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.

I guess we're getting close.

As I gotta tramp in there
all dusty and sweating,

I guess it's time old Bonebag
and me did our little trick.

Whoa, son.

This rock don't have to be big
enough to hurt him. Come on, son.

Just so he knows it's there.

There, now, look at
that. Convince anybody.

I trained him myself, 'cause
when that weather turns nasty

there's no better excuse for toasting
your feet on someone's bunkhouse stove

than a horse that comes up all
cr*pple-like, you know what I mean?

Yeah, I know what you mean. I remember
the first time you came to our ranch.

I done it again, Bonebag. I swear I'm
gonna have to have my mouth sewed shut.

Another mile of dusty
road and tight boots,

and I bet he's gonna make
me walk every step of the way.

Dude, you can count on it.

Friend, how about
opening up, let us in, huh?

Not till you tell
me who you are...

and what you want.

You gonna spout questions while
a couple of pilgrims die of thirst?

- Who is it?
- It's Joe Cartwright.

Open the gate and let him
in. Josh, look who's here.

- Joe, how are you?
- Fine, Mike. You remember Dude?

Yeah, you bet.
Dude, come right in.

- You got a lame horse. Glad you made it.
- Barely.

Joe, this is Candy, one of my men.
He'll take care of your horses for you.

- Howdy.
- Candy?

- Mm-hm.
- Come on, you gotta be kidding.

Nobody's got a name like Candy.

Come on in the house. I got something
to cut the dust out of your throat.

- That sounds good.
- Take my horse, Candy.

Yeah, Joe, the Acabo's
a great little spread.

Of course, it's pistolero
country down here, you know.

Border gangs strike without warning,
steal everything but your bones.

That’s why there's the
fences and the guards outside.

Got to be very careful in the
hills, but the hunting's great.

I bragged to Cartwright
about our hunting, brother Josh.

Now it looks like we've
got to prove it. Gentlemen...

Here's to a strong drink,
a hot bath and a soft bed.

Just what a man needs
after a long ride. Joe.

Dude.

Mike, the hospitality is great,
but this isn't a pleasure trip.

Oh? Well, I don't understand.

Well, that $15,000 cashier's
check I got at the bank,

that's a forgery.

- It's no good. The bank won't honor it.
- A forgery? But how could that be?

We both stood there and
watched him make it out.

Yeah, but the man was an imposter.
The real cashier was hit on the head.

- d*ed before he regained consciousness.
- Well, I don't believe it!

Josh?

Well, if you say it's true,
it's true, but I can't see how...

I didn't know that man. He
said I'd been pointed out to him.

I've never seen him before.
That's why he let us in the door.

I'd love to help you, Joe, but you
saw and heard what I saw and heard.

- Josh, can you add anything to that?
- No.

Except, that another drink
might ease the pain a little.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Joe, I don't know what to say.
I thought I made a clean deal.

Bought a herd, paid
cash and got a receipt.

And I bought a phony
$15,000 cashier's check.

Well, you don't expect me to
pay for the herd twice do you, Joe?

No, I don't expect
you to pay twice.

I just thought you might
be able to help me find him.

Well, I told you, I've
never seen him before.

That's right. You
told me, didn't you?

Well, there must be somebody
in Dry Wells knows that man.

If it was me, I'd talk to every
man, woman and kid in that town.

We already have. No luck.

It's gonna be two or three days
before Dude's horse is ready to travel.

I hope that invitation to be
your house guests still holds.

Sure. Sure it does.

Dude wants to make a swap, he
can have his choice of our stock.

No, thanks. Me and old Bonebag
been through a lot together. I'll keep him.

Speaking of old Bonebag,
we'd better check on him.

- Thanks for the drink. See you around.
- Right.

Right.

- How's the leg?
- Not good.

- Did you do any good?
- Just what I expected, nothing.

This woman out back waiting for her
husband to come back from Dry Wells.

He's long overdue. Her picture's
in that locket you're carrying.

How long do you
think it'll take to heal?

I don't know. Two or
three days, anyway.

Go out past the bunkhouse,
circle, come in the back. I'll cover.

There's box stalls in the barn.
I'll get some medicine for this leg.

Thank you, very much.

On our wedding day...

he said he'd carry
this as long as he lived.

I knew he was dead.

I wouldn't believe
it... but I knew.

We were very close.

Even when we had to
be apart, he was with me.

Inside.

A gentle, glowing
warmth, always there.

One night, I woke up...

suddenly cold and
empty and alone.

There was nothing
there, nothing at all.

And I knew.

Oh, he... he made mistakes.

He got into trouble

trying to get money to buy me
the things he thought I wanted.

And all I ever
wanted... was him.

Hi.

Mrs. Jackson's woodpile
was down to nothing.

Your brother asked me to rack
up enough for a week or two.

My husband was working for them.

He stole your money for
them, and they k*lled him.

And they gotta pay for it,
Mrs. Jackson, right now.

Mr. Cartwright.

- I believe I can help you.
- I think you'd better stay out of it.

Don't worry about
me. I'm already dead.

I d*ed with my husband.

Hell, it took you long
enough. Wait a minute.

Stay here and watch the
gate till I tell you different.

You want me to do what?

I want you to open your safe
so I can have a look inside.

- You think your money's in there?
- Yeah.

I think you planned this
whole thing right from the start.

There's money in
there, but it's my money.

That doesn't mean we had
anything to do with the robbery.

The cashier spilled some
ink on some of that money.

I think it's in your safe.

This is the first time I've
ever been called a thief.

This is De La Frontera brandy
from Spain. Last bottle in the territory.

Why don't we open it up, have
a drink and start all over again?

I think we ought
to open the safe.

Well, if you put it that way.

Buckshot load.
Go ahead and try it.

- No guts. You could have bluffed him.
- It's too late for bluffing.

It is now. What are we gonna do?

The Rio Seco. By
the time they find them

it'll look like a couple of fools
got caught in a flash flood.

And what about me, Mr. Farrell?

Now that I know all about it, are
you going to drop me off a cliff, too?

He's not going to do anything
to you, Lisa. I won't let him.

You'd try, Josh.

- But you couldn't stop him.
- I can stop him.

Did you try at Dry Wells?

Mr. Cartwright and I had a long talk.
He told me what happened at Dry Wells.

He even brought me this.

You k*lled my husband.

That's right.

And I'm sorry you
found out about that,

because now you're gonna have
to go along with Joe and Dude.

- Oh, no, you don't.
- You stay out of this.

I told you to stay away
from Lisa or we'd tangle.

I told you you're
talking to the man.

Hey.

I was wrong...
about the last fight.

Both Mike and me lost.

Safe combination...

is written on the bottom...

of the desk drawer.

Compliments of the house.

It's your money, sure enough.

Yeah, $15,000 of it.

Give the rest of it to the sheriff in
Dry Wells, along with Candy's friend.

He can turn it over
to the US Marshal.

When you are ready, señores.

- The horses wait.
- Right away, amigo.

- You know something?
- What?

I wish I'd never
seen this money.
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