10x28 - Speak No Evil

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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10x28 - Speak No Evil

Post by bunniefuu »

Hey, now, you better
keep your mouth shut, Tim.

'Cause Coley
Claybourne's back in town.

Now, he sees all that
gold you got in them teeth,

why, he and his pa just might
stake out a claim on your head.

Mr. Melton?

Mr. Melton.

Oh, it's you, huh?

Well, Pa said if I ever needed anything,
I was supposed to come see you.

Yeah. Coley, I'm a businessman.

My equipment is
for sale, not for loan.

And I'm well aware that
your pa is my cousin.

It ain't that kind of help.

Coley, you're about big
enough to do a man's work.

If you want a job, if you want
a chance to earn some money,

I'll do what I
can for you, but...

All right, just forget it.

Well, where are
you running off to?

Listen, you tell your pa from me,
there comes a time in every man's life

when he gives up chasing
rainbows and pays his bills,

and when he does
that, then we'll talk.

Now, you just tell him that
from me. You just tell him that.

Ah.

What do you
have? Flour and salt.

Yeah, real good, real good.
We got it almost loaded.

We? What is this "we"?

How come I always do the toting
and you end up doing the checking?

I got the pencil and paper.

Mm... Salt.

Hey, Coley. How you doing?

I didn't know you took
up reading for the law.

I went to see Judge
Butler, but he's not there.

- Is your pa in town?
- No, no, he's up in Sacramento.

- Anything I can do for you?
- No.

Coley.

Son, I hope you're expecting
to pay for those things.

Reckon I'll be needing some
amm*nit*on for the Springfield,

a couple of new
picks, and a shovel.

Coley, if you're hungry,
take the bacon, the beans,

but I already told your
pa there's no more credit.

Makes no difference does
he send you or come himself.

Come on, Claude. Why don't
you just put it on his pa's bill?

You run this place on credit.

Joe, Len Claybourne's
into me for 140 bucks.

Now, because he ain't got the guts to
come down and face me, he sends the kid.

- That ain't true.
- It ain't, eh? Then where is he?

Why didn't he come
down instead of you?

'Cause he's dead, that's
why. 'Cause he's dead.

Excuse me. Charley, you
seen Coley Claybourne?

Yeah, he's in the stable.
He slept there last night.

Good. Thank you.

Coley. Hey, Coley.

Wake up.

Hoss.

Joe came home last night and
told me you were in town by yourself.

Ain't nothin' you
should trouble over.

Hey, Charley, let me
use that towel, will you?

You bet.

Coley, Little Joe tells me
that... that your pa's dead.

He told it right.

- How'd it happen?
- Shelf caved in on top of him.

- I'm sorry.
- Don't be.

It was quick, like
he'd have wanted.

Too late for him to know, so
there's nothing to be sorry about.

- Where did this happen?
- Up on Purgatory Ridge.

Where I buried
him three days ago.

Coley, did your pa
ever mention to you

the fact that he'd made
some arrangements

in case something
like this did happen?

If you're talking about Caleb
and the judge and your pa,

yeah, he said
somethin' about it.

Well, you see, your pa's
will made them the executors.

And that means that... that
my pa has something to do

with looking out after you.

Now, until he gets back
to town, that's my job.

From now on I'm gonna
be looking out for myself.

And there's something I
gotta take care of right now.

Mr. Dobson, yesterday you
said I couldn't have no credit

'cause my pa owed
you 140 dollars.

I said you could have the beans.

Well, now...

You tell me if there ain't enough
dust there to buy more than beans.

Hoss, look. This ain't dust.

This is real glory gold.

- Coley, this come off your pa's claim?
- Whole shelf of it.

Coley, yesterday you
didn't tell me you could pay.

Well, you didn't
give me a chance.

You were in such an
all-fired hurry to say no.

Hang on, hang on.
Coley, you still can't pay.

This ain't yours yet.
Neither is that claim.

It's a part of your pa's estate.
I think you better come on out

and spend the next few days
with me at the Ponderosa.

Well, what for? Just so your pa
can get his grab ahead of the others?

No, so that we can make sure

that you get exactly what
your pa wanted you to have.

Do you know what'll happen when
this town hears about the strike?

Only claim on Purgatory Ridge worth a
dime was the one that me and Pa staked.

All the rest of the claims on that ridge
were dug up and forgot about years ago.

That's right, and you're gonna
have to have g*ns to protect it,

just like your pa wanted
my pa to protect you.

Yeah? And he's got Caleb
Melton protecting him.

And Melton's got the
judge protecting him.

Funny, Pa said with three
executors watching each other,

I might just get
what's rightly mine.

Come on, Coley.

Son, I don't like to think
of you sleeping in a stable

with this on your person.

- Better than some places I know.
- Why'd you run off anyway?

- I looked all over for you.
- Oh, you did?

Hoss didn't have any trouble finding
me, and he just got here this morning.

And he'd been looking for me
before he knew about the mine.

So that puts him
ahead of you others.

Judge...

I suggested to Coley that he spend
the next few days out at the Ponderosa.

Now, just a minute. What
rights have you got in this?

My pa left me his
power of attorney

and I'm acting in his
behalf till he gets back.

It's perfectly legal.

That's a pretty good idea, considering
what this town is gonna be like

after they hear what's
in the assay report.

Aren't you forgetting I'm
the boy's only blood kin

if he's gonna stay with anyone?

Hey, Coley, you mind leaving
us alone for a minute, huh?

All right.

- Go on, go on.

Oh, all right.

Now, Judge, I'd like
to hear what you think.

Now, this thing kind of caught me
with one foot in the stirrup, as it were.

I... I got business
over in Fallon.

Now, when's Ben coming back?

- About a week.
- Ah, works out good.

I'll be back by then.

Hoss, you take care of the boy
until us three duly appointed executors

can sit down and
decide what to do.

I got a feeling that's
not gonna be so easy.

That boy's got a real hard head.

Plain cussed stubborn
like his pa, if you ask me.

Well, what else can you expect?
He spent the last four years with him.

Yeah. It's been rough on
him ever since his ma left.

And speaking of his ma, I think this is
something we ought to discuss with her.

Oh, no, wait a minute, Hoss.

You're not gonna bring her
into this. Well, come on now.

Everyone knows Margaret
Claybourne just up and ran off

from Coley and his
pa four years ago.

That's a plain
case of desertion.

The way I remember it, she took a
daughter and a baby boy with her.

Now, that ain't desertion.

Len's will don't mention
anyone but Coley.

Len's will don't mention
the gold strike neither, Judge.

I for one think it's something
we ought to discuss with her

before we make any
decisions about Coley.

Maybe you'd like to discuss it with
that drummer she run off with too.

Now, that's got nothing to do
with it. She's still his mother.

And I think we ought to
try and get in touch with her.

I'll notify all the major newspapers,
run a legal notice on Len's death.

So what do we do? Just sit
around here and wait on this woman?

Who hasn't seen fit to contact
her own son in four years?

And let a two million
dollar claim lie fallow?

There's more to be considered
than just money, Caleb.

We gotta think about Coley
and what's gonna happen to him.

Quiet down. Quiet down.
What's this all about?

Well, the boy claims his pa
struck it rich before he d*ed.

Got a lot of people stirred up.

Yeah, and we just
thought we'd clear it all up.

A mining town that's short on work
ain't no place to be salting rumors.

This here boy's lying...

Now, you just listen here,
you old claim jumper. I ain't lyin'.

Well, you ask them.
They saw the assay report.

Coley, I told you to keep
your mouth shut about this.

Well, now, just how long

do you think you're gonna
keep a thing like that quiet, Hoss?

Till the estate's settled and the
claim can be assigned to a company.

I don't see where that
ought to take forever.

Everybody knew it was
just Coley and his pa.

Well, the boy's got a ma too

and it seems she's gonna
have something to say about it.

Maggie Claybourne?

Well, she ain't fit enough
to use these city streets,

much less tell this boy nothin'.

Hank, shut up.

I'm sorry, son.

- Coley, you ready?
- Yeah.

We're gonna have to get
some guards out on that claim.

I'll get 'em out there
by this afternoon.

Fine. Come on, Coley.

Hoss, the minute I get
a reply, I'll contact you.

All right, any of you men wanna earn a
dollar a day and found as claim guards,

get down to the sheriff's office in
about 20 minutes and be deputized.

I'm not working
for no dollar a day,

not till I find out
about that claim.

Well, I guess you can't blame those
fellas for being a little disappointed.

First it was a gold rush in the making.
Now it's less than a miner's wages.

Well, we only need ten
guard. They'll be there.

I suppose. It's 'cause they don't
think like we think, do they, Caleb?

The Southern and Central
Mining could be very grateful

to anybody who'd help
us secure that claim.

Just what are you driving at?

Well, that used equipment
we let you have, Caleb.

We could forget you
ain't paid for it yet.

You tell that company they can pick
up this worn-out junk any time they want.

Now, you'll pardon me.

When I say grateful,
Caleb, I mean real grateful.

Oh, I'd look if I were you.

What... What do I have to do?

Just deliver, that's all.

Joe?

Hey, Joe?

Hop Sing?

Well, looks like you and
me kind of got it to ourselves.

I'll tell you what, you can take the
first bedroom at the top of the stairs.

- How much is that gonna cost me?
- What did you say?

My pa said when a man offers
too much, find out his price.

Well, right now I'd
settle for a little less sass,

a little more respect.

Is that why you
braised Hank Bradley?

I know what my ma was, Hoss.
My pa told me right enough.

I just wanna hear her side of
the story, and you should too.

That day, when Pa
and me came home,

that cabin was so quiet, you
could hear your own breathing.

Little Billy, Beth,
her, everybody gone.

Never will forget Pa standing
there with her note in his hand.

Like something broke inside.

- Did you read it?
- Didn't have to.

The meaning was plain enough.

You know, Coley, sometimes
folks have reasons for doing things.

The first year I... I
prayed to hear one.

I... I'd have listened.

That was three years ago.

It's too late to start
wishing all over again.

But it's never too
late to listen, Coley.

You're wrong.

It's too late for Pa.

So it's too late for me.

Looks like half the town
turned out to meet her.

Well, let's get on over there.

Thank you.

Those three up there are mine.

Sure ain't the Maggie
Claybourne I remember.

Well, it's that San
Francisco livin'.

- Mrs. Claybourne.
- Hoss Cartwright, Caleb.

- Thank you for meeting us.
- Margaret.

I'd have been here last week
if I'd seen the paper sooner.

- Where's my boy?
- He's out at the Ponderosa.

We thought that the best thing to
do until we cleared up a few things.

I didn't come here to clear up
anything. I... just came to get my son.

Well, you see, ma'am, that
legal notice you read in the paper

don't mean that you can
just come and take the boy.

The fact is, Coley doesn't
even wanna see you.

I expected that. His father
had him for four years.

But I'm his mother.

Let me have him for a few months.
Then he can decide for himself.

Well, ma'am, it... it
ain't altogether that easy.

You see, there's
more to be considered

than just who's gonna
be the legal guardian.

You mean the
two million dollars?

- You've heard about Len's strike?
- Of course. That was in the papers too.

And men from the mining
companies came to see me.

Yeah, well, you don't have
anything to do with the mine.

You aren't mentioned
in Len's will.

I don't care about the mine
or the money, just Coley.

Well, you can say that,
but who's gonna believe it?

I'll swear to it in court and
I'll sign any papers you want.

This won't be a matter
that comes to court.

Ma'am, the three executors will
decide who the guardian's gonna be.

That's what we wanna
talk to you about.

Who else would
he go with but me?

Margaret, you'll have to admit
the boy's been a lot closer to me

than he has to you
these past four years,

and I am Len's blood kin.

But we're Coley's kin.
He belongs with us.

Honey, there ain't nobody gonna
make any decisions about Coley

until my pa and the judge
get back, and that's it.

Hoss, I wanna see him.

Well, ma'am, I can't
promise you he'll talk to you.

I think he will.
He's my only son.

What about the younger
one? Johnny, wasn't it?

His name was Billy, Mr. Melton.
He's dead. Over three years now.

Beth, we don't burden
others with our troubles.

I'll wait for Coley
at the hotel.

- Come, Beth.
- Ma'am, I'll take care of your baggage.

No, thank you. We'll...
We'll manage by ourselves.

It's usually used for shortening
rope. See how easy it comes loose?

It's called a sheep shank.

Although that's not a proper
name for a cattleman to use.

Here, come on,
try it. You can do it.

Well, I... I don't know if
I'd be much of a cattleman.

I... I think I'd just as
soon stick to prospecting.

Seems to me prospecting's for...
for those who ain't struck it rich yet.

Not with Pa and me. We was gonna
keep on going, just the two of us.

Depending on nobody.

Hmm.

But it seems while you two
were busy depending on nobody,

you sure were depending
an awful lot on each other.

Hoss, you're just in time to help me
convince Coley to become a cattleman.

I've got... I've got something else
I need to talk to... to Coley about.

Coley... your ma's in town.

You know how I
feel about her, Hoss.

Far as I'm concerned,
she's just as dead as Pa is.

She... She didn't come alone.

You mean Beth and Billy too?

Well, not Billy,
but... but Beth,

and she's anxious
to talk to you.

I can't hardly remember
what she looks like.

Except she's homely.

All right, I'll go with you,

to see Beth, nobody else.

I don't care what this town
thinks. I want to see my son.

Ma'am, you... you see, it...
it ain't altogether that easy.

Mother, I think
Mr. Cartwright's trying to help.

Then why didn't you
bring Coley here?

I did.

But, you see, he...

Well, he don't wanna
talk to nobody but Beth.

Mother... let me talk to him.

Please.

All right.

Where is he?

He's just across the hall.

He's waiting for you.

Beth, tell him from me...

Never mind.

I'll tell him, Mother.

- Coley?
- Beth?

Beth, is that you?

Come in.

All the way from San Francisco I've been
thinking of what I'd say when I saw you.

Now all of a sudden I...

I don't know.

Well, if I... if I'd have
seen you on the street,

I... I don't think I'd
have recognized ya.

Oh, Coley.

I'm... I'm sorry.

I... I didn't mean to
hurt your feelings.

It's OK.

You didn't.

It's just that...

you look so... old.

Well, I... I guess you...
guess you know about Pa.

I tried to cry when
Mama told me.

But I couldn't remember
him except for his beard.

What happened to Billy?

Well, the... the doctor in
Placerville called it lung fever.

That winter when you and
Papa didn't come back...

We came back!

Soon as it thawed.

We waited till April.

Mama worked in the laundry
in Placerville till summer.

After that we went to
Sacramento and San Francisco.

I ain't holding it
against you, Beth.

I mean, there wasn't
much choice, not then.

Things are a little different now. You
don't have to stay with her anymore.

- You don't mean that.
- There's money.

Enough for the both of us the rest
of our lives. Now, Pa'd want that.

But you're forgetting
about Mama.

She loves you, Coley.

That's the only
reason she's here.

That's a lie.

Len's responsible for
the way Coley feels,

but why should the
whole town hate me?

Well, I reckon that you were
just something a little grander

than they were expecting, ma'am.

What do you mean?

Well, I mean... like the
clothes you're wearing...

I made these clothes myself.

It's the way I earn my
living, dressmaking.

Well, I... I reckon they
was thinking of Len

and all those years
and the hardships.

When did they start
feeling sorry for him?

The way I remember it, they all
turned their backs on him long ago,

- afraid he'd try to borrow more money.
- Yeah.

Well, that changed when
he found all that gold.

And people tend to forget a
man's faults after he's dead.

Pity they're not so
considerate of the living.

Yeah. It's just human
nature, I reckon.

And I ran away and
left Coley and his father.

Is that what they're saying?

Yes'm, pretty much.

And you, all of you... you
think that's all there was to it?

- Coley.
- You gotta tell him.

He thinks we left
because we didn't love him.

It's all right, Beth.
It's all right. Son...

Don't call me that.
Now, you just listen.

No matter what promises you
make up or what lies you tell,

it ain't gonna
make no difference.

- Coley.
- I'm still your mother, Coley.

And it's nothin' I'm proud of.

You should have thought of
that before you came back.

I guess I didn't know
what I was coming back to.

And don't try and turn me against Pa
with your lies, like you done with Beth.

Coley, that isn't true.

It is true. And I gave you
a chance to come with me.

What?

I said I gave her a
chance to come with me.

You had no right to do that.

Just as much right as you have
coming here stirring everything up.

One thing your father didn't
teach you, respect for others.

Oh, yeah, he did. For
them that deserves it.

There ain't a soul
in Virginia City

that knows what your pa's
intentions were better than you.

Now, you take a man like Hoss.

He... He thinks he just can't make
a mistake, like about your mother.

You mean he's the one
who wanted her here?

Yeah.

Now, you and me, we... we
understand each other, don't we?

Yeah, I reckon we
understand each other.

All right.

Now, I'm not denying for a minute
that it would be a real feather in my cap

if I were to wind up
managing your holdings,

but you just think what
it would be like for you

if anyone else ended
up your guardian,

say your ma.

- You seen Coley Claybourne?
- Yeah, Hoss.

He's right out there on the
front porch with Caleb Melton.

Hoss.

I was just telling the boy here
he's got some deciding to do.

Yeah, I'm sure.


Coley, you about ready?
Time we was getting back.

Mr. Melton, I'll...
I'll think about it.

Good night, boy.

You... You do what I say, now.

Caleb, I don't want
that boy fretted.

Hoss, it wasn't me who wanted
to bring that woman back here.

She came back here so the
boy could make his own choice.

Now, it's gonna be
rough enough for him

without everybody pulling
at him from every side.

What do you want me to
do? Just give her a free hand?

No. I'm asking you to let that
boy make up his own mind.

Well, Hoss, I think
he already has.

And I think Judge Butler's
gonna see it the same way.

No, I... He's probably right.

Coley's mother should be here.
She should know what's going on.

Well, I'm glad you
agree. Melton doesn't.

How come?

Oh, I reckon he wants to be the
guardian or something or other.

Oh. Does he wanna be
the guardian of the mine too?

What about the Judge
Butler? What does he think?

Well, the judge
has been out of town

and there ain't no way
of knowing what he thinks.

Well, what do you think?

Well, Pa, I just can't figure
a lady like Mrs. Claybourne

leaving one young 'un and
raising another one as nice as Beth.

Well, would you make a
decision based on that?

I don't know.

But I ain't gotta make
that decision, now, have I?

I'm glad you're home, Pa.

Do you think he'll
ever talk to us?

You're supposed to be asleep.

I can't sleep, Mama,
knowing how Coley feels.

- Maybe if I'd been a little nicer...
- No, darling. You were fine.

Your brother's got his mind made
up. I don't think we can change it.

Not ever?

I don't know.

But we still love him.

Sometimes just
loving isn't enough.

You have to prove it.

Whoa.

This buggy all right,
Mrs. Claybourne?

Fine, thank you.

See you when you get back.

Mrs. Claybourne.
Mrs. Claybourne.

- Get out of my way, all of you.
- Not till I tell you.

Now, there's a lot
of folks in this town

don't have any use for
your kind around here,

and as soon as you start moving,

you just keep right on moving
and don't you ever come back.

I don't care what you
want. Now, stand aside.

Whoa. Now, Len Claybourne
had a lot of friends in this town.

Good friends. Now, we don't
want you coming back here

and grabbing that money and
laying another stain on Len's grave.

I don't recall you were
such good friends of Len's.

And I don't care what you think of
me. Now, get your hands off my horse.

Leave the lady alone.

Turn loose those lines.

There ain't no cause for you
two to come butting in here.

I said turn loose those lines.

Here's your luggage.

Did you ask him to
bring the bags out here?

No, I didn't.

Take the bags back in the hotel.

All right, get out
of here, all of you.

Go on, get out of here.

- Sorry about that, ma'am.
- Thank you.

I don't think they'll bother you again.
I'll put your bags back in the hotel.

No, please, they saved
us the trouble of packing.

Ma'am, there ain't
no need in your going.

As a matter of fact, Pa'd like
you to come out to the Ponderosa.

He's planning on having a
meeting of all the executors.

Well, that's where we're going, but just
to say goodbye to Coley. No meetings.

Joe, won't you ride on out with 'em and
I'll take care of everything here in town.

Right.

Now, Coley, before you say anything,
I invited your mother and sister here.

It's your house.

Yeah, that's right.

But, you know, the world would
sure be a whole lot better off...

if people could only
learn to listen to others...

even though they don't care
for them too much, just listen.

So why don't you do that?

If you say so,
I'll... I'll listen.

You see, I've already made up my
mind. I know who I want to take care of me.

We'll discuss that later.

We just came to say
goodbye, Coley, that's all.

Why don't I leave
you folks alone?

If I hurt you by coming here,
Coley, I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean to.

Why'd you even come?

I didn't ask for you.

Maybe we came because we
love you. Did you ever think of that?

You, maybe, but not her.

How do you know 'less you
give her a chance to show you?

I'm giving her the same
chance as she gave Pa and me.

Say goodbye, Beth.
It's time for us to go.

You're mean, Coley.
You're dirty mean.

Now, it wasn't me or
Pa that made it like that.

I guess none of us had a choice.

Margaret.

Please, all I wanna do is leave.

You do that, ma'am, and we'll just
have to follow you to San Francisco.

Now, there's some
talking has to be done.

It might as well be
done right here and now.

Say, you're a
pretty little lady.

Why don't you go out there and join
Hoss and have him show you the ranch?

Coley, you haven't let anyone
change your mind, have you?

Didn't budge me none.

- I'll stick with you.
- That's what I told you, Judge.

Now, this is bound to hurt some, so
we'll get it over as quick as possible.

There's some things gonna be said
that are not for your ears, young fella,

so we'll thank you to leave.

If you're gonna be talking about
what's gonna happen to me,

I got a right to listen.

Oh, sassing your elders, huh?

You don't look too big to spank.

What do you think, Ben?

Coley, why don't you go
upstairs as the judge asked?

We'll call you.

If I've learned anything
in 20 years on the bench,

it's that people
change their minds.

What they say one day,
they don't mean the next.

Now, Coley, he
might change his mind,

and that's one of the reasons
that we wanted you here.

There are others, but
that'll do for the moment.

Now, this isn't
the court of law,

but what we say here and
decide had better hold up in one.

Well, that's why Len named
you as one of the executors.

It's a matter of custody first.

We can talk about the
mine and the money later.

Is there anything
you'd care to say?

Coley's decided what he wants.

Well, what he wants is
not too important right now.

It's what's best for him
that we have to decide.

Well, it's pretty obvious that
she is not what's best for him.

I'm just making some
opening remarks.

And you'd be polite
to shut up and listen.

Now, in a court of law
there's only one reason

to take a boy away
from his mother.

That's if she's not
fit to be his mother.

Now, it's only fair to tell you
there's some talk that you're not.

- What do you think?
- I said it was talk.

I didn't say we believed it.

Margaret, um... there are
always two sides to every story.

I... I think the judge was trying
to say he'd like to hear your side.

You separated from your husband.
That might be a good place to start.

She ran off and left him.

Yes, I left him.

- And your son.
- And my son.

You just packed up and
left with a fancy drummer.

With a drummer, yes. I wouldn't
hardly call Abner Coles fancy.

He's a nice fat old man with
five children of his own and a wife.

He was kind enough to give me
and Beth and Billy a ride to Placerville.

Abner's not only fat, he's as
homely as four miles of bad road.

Why did you... Why
did you go off with him?

There was no food in
the house, and no money.

Billy was sick. Len was gone.

He was too busy looking for
gold to worry about whether we ate

or had medicine or had
clothes on our backs.

The fact is that you
didn't have to go.

Any of Len's friends
would have helped you out.

- You could have come to me.
- Could I?

Len asked you to grubstake him
lots of times. You turned him down.

And his friends, they ran
when they saw him coming,

they were so sure
he'd ask for money.

I'll agree to that.

It occurred to me
that Len's memory

has suddenly taken on a
considerable amount of shine

since folks learned that
he'd found a gold mine.

The mine is what
brought her back here.

I don't care what she
says. She's after the money.

That's a lie.

Well, then, why did you
stay away for four years

if you were so
interested in your son?

Why didn't you come
back a long time ago?

Come back where? Len and
Coley weren't in Virginia City.

I could have walked over
all the mountains of Nevada

and never found them.

Well, you could have written.

I did write. Not just once,
at least a dozen times.

I told him where we
were in Placerville.

I wrote him when Billy
d*ed. I never got an answer.

I don't believe that.

I wrote him from San Francisco.

I told him what I was doing.
Told him how he could reach us.

Told him how much
Beth needed him.

I told him to bring Coley
and come to San Francisco,

or to send for me and Beth
so we could be a family again.

And I never heard a word.

Let's gentle it down. Shouting at one
another is not gonna settle anything.

Now, let everybody sit down

and we'll start from the
beginning, nice and reasonable.

Sit down, Margaret. You too,
Caleb. Go on over there and sit down.

Now, you used to see
Len from time to time.

Did he ever mention that
he'd heard from his wife?

No.

He said the last he ever heard was the
note she left when she ran out on him.

Didn't I tell you we'd call you?

Mr. Cartwright, I... I got
something to show you.

- Where'd you find these?
- In my pa's stuff.

These are letters that your
mother wrote to your father

from Placerville,
from San Francisco.

- Why didn't you tell me you had them?
- I didn't know what they were.

What?

I don't know how to read.

I wrote to Mr. Melton
twice asking where Len was.

He never answered me either.

I never got a letter
from her in my life.

There's not a word of truth in that
woman. She's lying. She's lying!

- She's lying!
- Now, you wait a minute.

You're the one that's lying.

You said that she didn't send
any letters to my pa, and she did.

Oh, and I bet you
she wrote you too.

Now, don't let her
get to you. She's lying.

You're the one that's
been lying this whole time.

Don't tell me my ma is lying.

- My ma isn't a liar!
- Don't let 'em get to you, son.

Remember what you
said to me? We're gonna...

Stop it!

- That's it. Hold it.
- All right, stop.

Take your hands off me. You
poisoned his mind against me.

Mrs. Claybourne said she
wrote her husband, and she did.

She said she wrote
you too. Did she?

Well, did she?

I think you've got
your answer, Judge.

I think so too.

Caleb. If you're planning a
court try for the boy, don't.

You may have to explain
why Pollard's been telling folks

that he's got you and the
mine in his back pocket.

Coley.

I'm sorry.

Caleb left here under a
pretty good head of steam,

so it looks like there's
just you two executors left.

Well, that's enough to decide what
to do, as long as they can agree.

You any suggestions?

Well, the family's together.
That's the important thing.

I... I have one suggestion.

Yeah, I think I know. Let's
have some of that brandy.
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